In Time
by IntoTheDeep27
Summary: There is darkness in the path of life. Anger, hatred, despair; these are just the beginning. Yet, there is also light at the end. There is love between two different people or the love that is shared between a parent and their child. Darkness may never disappear in life but knowing that there is light at the end helps make living a little bit more bearable. [KakashixOC] [Semi-OC]
1. Beginning

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka any other OC.

* * *

"**Broken pieces of a barely breathing story**

**Where there once was love,**

**Now there's only me and the lonely"**

_-The Lonely_ by Christina Perri

* * *

When you die, a lot of people wish for it to be quick and painless. Some people are lucky and die because of old age, something many people strive for. But then there's that handful of people that die by the hands of a murderer. I guess I'm one of those unlucky people, and I _knew_ who killed me too.

My father.

So that's how my story ended; me bleeding to death because my father stabbed me in a bout of anger. I didn't live a very long life; I just turned 20 when I died. There were many things that I wanted to try in my life, things I never was able to do. I wanted to have my first kiss or maybe get a boyfriend. Maybe even get married with _the one_ and have kids. And my geeky side wished that I could've written a story for my favorite manga, Naruto, or to draw fan art like those artists on Tumblr. I know these are stupid thoughts. I'm on the ground bleeding to death and was thinking "_I should've finished that story_." But when your life is ebbing away with every beat of your heart, you just...don't care.

Let's face it; you're not going to be able to do those things you wanted anyways. And besides, there wasn't much to think about too, especially for me. I didn't have any friends who would mourn my death and the only family I knew of was my father.

That's why it didn't shock me when he stabbed me, leading me to my death. It _really_ didn't. All I thought at the exact moment he stabbed me was _"__I'm surprised he didn't do this sooner."_ If you think of that instead of wondering _why_ your _dear old dad_ stabbed you, that's just sad.

But I had a reason, y'know? My father was very abusive to me. He would hit me; it only got worse as I got older. But he wasn't always like this, it all started when my mother died. And even then, he wasn't like this right after her death; he was shocked that his wife died. He would stay in his room all day, only coming out to use the bathroom. It was like he completely forgot about me, his only daughter. I was naïve little girl at that time too. I thought he would get better, that's what everybody always told me. I was five, what else could I do _but_ think? He never got better, he only got worse. He was fired from his old job and we had to move into a new neighborhood. At one point, I thought he was getting better though. He got a new job, started to bring money into the house. But then the drinking started. It wasn't much at first; a cup of whiskey here or a bottle of beer there. But he started to drink more and more, to the point he was dead drunk by the end of the day. That was also when the hitting started.

But enough of that, this is my story. Not his. I don't want to talk about my childhood.

I had _so_ many things I wanted to do with my life. I wished… I wished I could've had a better life. A better father, a mother that was still alive. I wished I could've done the things I wanted to do. I wished I was _loved_.

And maybe, if I do get a second chance, I wish I could be reborn, so I could live my life over.

And in some ironic way, my wish was granted.

Right after I took my final breath, I was surrounded by darkness. It wasn't the type of darkness that you had when you turned off the lights in your room. No, it was the spine-chilling, creepy darkness. You couldn't see anything, even your own hand.

It didn't help that I was suspended in something _warm_ yet _cold, _and I didn't know what to tell time in this hell hole I was in, but I knew I was here for god _knows _how long.

But today...something felt different. It felt like something _big_ was going to happen, that something was finally going to change.

Maybe I'm finally moving on, going to a better life. I was never religious, so I didn't know if there was such a thing like heaven or hell.

But as I looked around, I noticed there was this little spot of light. I went towards it but as I got nearer and nearer, I felt something constricting my body. The moment I touched the light, I was sucked in and I

_Screamingfallingpainsoundsfeelingthelight-_

* * *

I opened my eyes and took a deep breath to scream, but all that came out of my mouth was… a wail? I quickly closed my mouth, terrified of what just happened. That couldn't have come from me, right? That's impossible. I tried to move but my body wouldn't listen to me, nothing was working. I couldn't see, I couldn't hear very well, I couldn't move.

Yet there was something vaguely familiar about that...cry. It sounded like...a baby?

...A baby.

_Oh my god a baby._

I'm a goddamn _baby_.

Nonononono-

* * *

I've come to accept my new fate. I _did_ wish to be reborn before I died in my old life. But the little breakdown I had a few hours back? It helped me realize that there was absolutely nothing, and I mean _nothing_, I could do about my current situation. It's not like everybody is mentally prepared for this kind of thing. So you can't really blame me for my little… episode from earlier. I didn't go through training to become a newborn baby, thought that would've been helpful. But like I said, I accepted my fate. I soon realized that I was going to have a new family, a mother and a father that I hope will love me.

The first time I met my parents, I couldn't see to save my life. All I could see were moving blobs of color, something that terrified me. But I could tell that I was being held by my new mother. The way she held me with this...tenderness, it was almost like she already loved me and cared for me. My new life may not be that bad. This actually could be… a _good_ thing.

After a few days at the hospital, I was soon in a place that I would call a home in the future – or I think so anyways. The only thing I could comprehend was that I was being carried and moved. I couldn't be sure of time anymore; I would fall asleep at random for long periods of time. I was a baby after all; I think I read somewhere that they slept a lot?

As much as I was being held, I knew it was only by the same person. The way that person carried me, it just had to be my mother. I could never forget that feeling of being held by her the first time. I never felt the presence of my new father. I can't really explain it, but I just knew. I didn't care much about it though, I'm pretty sure I can survive without a new dad since I've already had my fair share of experiences with another.

Because I was a baby again, that meant I needed to relearn all of my body functions. Both inside and out, if you know what I mean. I don't really want to explain what happened in the first few months. It wasn't the best for me; it brought what little pride I had down.

At least I could see again. As my eyesight got better, I soon was able to notice my surroundings. And you know what? The first person I saw was my mother. The only word I could think of for her was _beautiful_. She had hair that was white as fresh snow and eyes the color of a rose. Was it even possible to have these colors naturally? But it didn't matter. My mother was beautiful, inside and out. I could tell with the way she looked at me and cared for me. She would carefully pick me up from my crib and hold me. She would sometimes sing to me, something that would calm me down.

Now that, kind of annoyed me. I mentally cursed this body; it was like I was starting to _become_ a baby.

Now, I've heard my mother sing to me many times, and I didn't care about what she was singing. I never paid attention. But when she first talked to me when I was paying attention, imagine the shock that came when she started speaking in Japanese. I nearly peed my pants (or diaper) that time. That meant I could catch onto the language faster, thank god. I took Japanese all throughout high school, something that I was pretty proud of.

I always wondered if I had a dad. All these months, I never saw him. It was always my mother and this strange man with silver hair. I knew he wasn't my father, I could tell_._ I dreaded those days though because every single time he came, he brought along a boy around my age. He was a cute kid; his silver hair was _so_ much fun to play with – it defied the laws of gravity. I swear, no hair is supposed to stick up like that. But he reminded me of someone though; I just couldn't put my finger on it.

Being a baby gives you time to think, a lot. I had so many thoughts running through my new, tiny brain. Was my mother a single mother? Did I even have a dad? Things like this tend to pop up compared to the other thoughts.

But then one day, a man suddenly came into my room. I don't know how, but I automatically _knew_ this was my father. Don't ask me how, I just had like that weird feeling. He picked me up – not quite gently though – and walked out of my room to the backyard.

So my first experience outside wasn't the _greatest_. I was once again with that silver haired boy watching a butterfly. Then out of nowhere, a big sound came from the buildings surrounding the house and scared little silver boy next to me, causing him to burst out crying. And because of my baby hormones, I too started crying. By the time our parents came to console us, he was pulling on my white hair while I was pulling on his, causing us to scream and cry once again.

The day my father took me outside was the second time I've ever been out. I forgot to mention, I'm pretty sure my parents are die-hard Naruto fans. Not that it bothered me, but I would see my mother wear an outfit that came from Naruto. My father was wearing the standard uniform for shinobi in the village of Konoha. As my father placed my on the grass, he stared at me. I stared back for a few seconds. I got very uncomfortable, so I started looking and crawling around. I watched a butterfly flying around and I saw a mountain that was very close to my house. I looked at my father and pointed to it and he picked me up while pointing to the same mountain I did.

"Haruka, you see that mountain? The one with three faces? It's the Hokage Monument, and those faces you see are the Hokage's. They are the strongest shinobi of this village. I'm a shinobi. That's why I wasn't home. But I was protecting the people and the village. I was protecting you and mommy. But mommy is also a shinobi. Did you know that?" I tried to process this. I was reborn in Naruto? As in… a manga? No, no no nonon_onono_-

I'm guessing that weird feeling in me is chakra then. Goddamn it, when I asked to be reborn, I didn't mean in a fictional story.

What the hell do I do now?

* * *

**A/N:** _SO this is my first story. Like, ever. There may be some grammar errors, vocabulary errors, etc. Just tell me and I'll try to fix them. I hope you enjoyed this story so far! I'll be updating it as soon as I can because chapter 2 is already in progress :) Please leave a review and follow/favorite! :) Have a wonderful day_

**Edited: 03.06.15**

**2****nd****Edit: 03.17.15**

**3****rd****Edit: 08.03.15**


	2. Emotions

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. It is respectfully owned my Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, my OC's.

* * *

**WARNING: CONTAINS LANGUAGE**

"_**Italics in bold and/or quotation marks: Memories"**_

* * *

**"Do you think about everything you've been through**

**You never thought you'd be so depressed**

**Are you wondering**

**Is it life or death**

**Do you think that there's no one like you"**

_-One X_ by Three Days Grace

* * *

_**A little girl ran up to a man that was standing in the living room.**_

"_**Daddy! Daddy! Where are we going today?" He grabbed her arms and began to pick her up. Squealing, the little girl began to smile.**_

"_**We're going to go see Momma at the hospital."**_

"_**Is Momma sick? Is she going to be okay?" She asked, still in a good mood but very confused to why they needed to go there.**_

"_**Of course honey, she'll be fine." The man told her while walking out the door with her in his arms….**_

* * *

_**There stood a girl and a man under an umbrella in front of a tombstone that looked newly placed. The little girl couldn't make out the words on the stone yet. She didn't understand what was happening.**_

"_**Daddy, where's Momma? Isn't she coming home?" The girl asked, missing her mother.**_

"_**Momma isn't coming home dear. She's… going to a new place." The man told her after a moment of thinking. If you looked closer, you could see his eyes were bloodshot and had dark bags under them from a restless night of sleep. He was very pale and looked overwhelmed with sadness.**_

"_**But Daddy, I miss her. I want her to come home. Was I a bad girl? Is it my fault?"**_

"_**No dear, it's not your fault." The man quietly said to the girl.**_

"_**But-"**_

"_**I said it wasn't you fault! God, can't you just be quiet for once?" The man yelled to the girl. Startled, she pulled her hand from her father's and took off running…**_

* * *

_**A teenage girl walked carefully to the doors of her house. Wincing at the sound the door made, she slowly opened it. The smell of tobacco smoke and alcohol caused her to flinch, overwhelming her senses. She looked at the person causing the stench that filled the room. He was sitting there on the couch drunk, an empty bottle of beer in his hand. He looked very angry.**_

"_**Where the fuck were you April? I told you to be home at eight so you could cook me dinner!"**_

"_**But dad, it's my 16**__**th**__** birth-"**_

"_**Do I look like I care? I told you to be home. I bet you were whoring off to those boys by the corner!" Interrupted the man. He then started throwing empty beer bottles and cans at her. Avoiding the projectiles, she ended up standing right in front of him.**_

"_**I'm sorry; I'll get dinner ready right away." She said, terrified of looking at him. He stood up and decided to look at her in the eye anyways. If you looked, you would notice the sadness in her eyes. But if you looked deeper? You would see hatred, the hatred for the man that stood in front of her and the hatred for the world.**_

_***SMACK***_

"_**That's what you get, you little bitch. When I tell you to do something, or when to come home, you better listen." He said to her, sitting back on the couch. She lay on the floor, clutching her cheek, crying silent tears…**_

* * *

I was quite wary of my new father. But can you blame me? It had to have confused my parents. Their one year old daughter avoids the dad but sticks to the mom. Weird, right? But months passed and my father started to grow on me. I knew he would never hit me, but old habits die hard. I soon learned how to love my new life. I found happiness in almost everything. I didn't take stuff for granted this time because who knew when everything will come crashing down on you.

So, I forget that I'm in the Naruto world sometimes. Shocking, I know. But I'm pretty secluded in my house. I rarely go outside (as in the market place.) My life was quite boring. I thought, _"I'm going to work on my chakra like every other self-insert story I read on Fanfiction!"_ Pshh, they made it sound _so_ easy. It's. So. Hard. I felt like ripping my hair out at many times when I tried to "touch" it. In all honesty, I gave up. I realized I should just let my parents to start teaching me whenever they feel like its time too. I've already made sure I don't stand out, look where that'll end me up. Right into the arms of Danzo, something I'd rather _not_ to happen.

* * *

"Kaachan! Touchan!" I shouted out while swinging my short, chubby arms around me.

"Haruka dear, do you want to play with your little kappa? I'll get it for…" My mother suddenly stopped talking and just stared at me with wide eyes while I sat there, smiling.

"Akiye, did she… just talk? I think our daughter just talked!" My father happily shouted. I I've finally gotten use to him. I actually… _like_ him. I'm quite proud of my accomplishment, I was able to overstep my comfort zone to embrace this innocent man and stop blaming him for something he never did. He picked me up and walked up to my mother who was desperately trying to hold in her tears. I was soon in their arms, surrounded by love. It was a perfect moment, something that was picture worthy. I was happy, I realized. I wasn't going to let anything change that.

Both of my parents were shinobi of Konoha, something that frequently slipped my mind. The only times I would realize their actual job was when they both came into the room with their uniforms on, something that would terrify me. I was afraid that with every mission they took, it would be the last time I would ever see them. I didn't want that to happen, I loved them! My father had a tendency to take more missions than my mother, something that seemed to bother her to an extent. Both my parents would come back from their mission safe, sometimes a bandage here or there. But most of the time, they came back unscathed. But everything changed three months before my second birthday.

* * *

Nothing exciting had happened on this day. My father was on a mission that was assigned to him about two weeks ago. I was thinking about what I did all the time when my father came home. I would open the front door with a big smile on my face and he would say 'I'm home'. He would bend down and open his arms for a hug, and I would run right into them laughing, while my mother stood by the entrance watching us. But today felt different. The mood in the air was… depressing. It scared me.

"Mama, is daddy coming home today?" I asked my mother, who was currently in the kitchen washing dishes.

"I don't know Haruka. Maybe or maybe not. Your father's on a mission that even I don't have access too. Now finish your lunch." My mother replied to me. "I'm a damn Jounin, and they still won't let me see the file…" She mumbled to herself. I ignored that comment because I was currently quite focused on eating my eggs. After a few minutes of silence, I saw her suddenly freeze, like she sensed someone.

I stopped eating, because I too had sensed someone at the door. "Mama, I think daddy is home!"

"Wait Haruka, it's not your-" My mother's voice was cut off because I had already left the room, forgetting all about my breakfast. I ran up to the door and opened it.

"Daddy, welcome-" I stopped talking, because standing in front of me wasn't my father, it was a man who was badly injured with bandages under his clothing.

"Hello little girl, is your mother home? I need to talk to her." The men bend his knees and asked me. I shouted for my mother, who had come walking towards the door.

"Takeshi-kun, what are you doing here? Is the mission over?" My mother asked, very confused. I stood behind her, grabbing her skirt. After a moment of silence, my mother started asking a different question in a panic. "Wait, where's my husband? Where's Hiro?" After wincing, Takeshi took a deep breath and told my mother the news.

"I'm so sorry Akiye-san, but your husband did not make it back from the mission. He was killed by Iwa-nin."

* * *

**A/N: **_So how was the second chapter? Was it good? I managed to write over a 1500 words. I am so proud of myself xD It may contain some errors, but I came up with the second chapter while in math. I read over it many times to make sure, but oh well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a review and don't forget to follow this story! It's not ending just yet!_

**Edited: 03.18.15**


	3. A Fresh Start

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and it is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, my OC's.

* * *

"_**Italics in Bold and/or quotations: Memories"**_

* * *

"**If I smile and don't believe**

**Soon I know I'll wake from this dream**

** Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken**

**Hello, I am the lie living for you so you can hide,**

**Don't cry"**

_-Hello_ by Evanescence

* * *

I hated fate. It had taken away my father, the person that I had just grown to love. Having a father that actually cared about me was one of the few things that I always wanted growing up in my old life. My father's death opened my eyes. It made me realize that this was a cruel place, no matter where I was in the universe, and I despised it. But in a way, his death helped me become stronger. It made me realize that I needed to be strong to protect the ones that I loved. So what did I do? I began to train, so I could become a shinobi.

* * *

"_**Otousan! Welcome home!" Said a girl with a big smile, her white hair shining in the light. The man bends down to his knees and opened his arms.**_

"_**I'm home, my little tanpopo. Now come here and give your dad a big hug." The girl ran towards his arms and when he wrapped them around her, causing her to cry.**_

"_**Don't cry tanpopo. I promise I won't leave you, okay? I'll always be there for you." He wipes away her tears while looking at the mother standing in the doorway, smiling. If he was paying attention, he would've notice his daughter's eyes. He would've notice that there was so much hope and love in them, yet so much sorrow…**_

* * *

Chakra means everything in this world. It's all around you. It's in the air, in the ground; it's even in your food, and the most important thing? It keeps you alive. I would sit on the floor during the night, staring at my hand trying to get my chakra to move. I would stay in that one position like for hours until I saw the sun come up. After my failed attempt during my baby years, I wasn't very confident that I could do anything. And I was right. For the first few nights, nothing would happen, and I mean nothing. But it wasn't that I couldn't feel the flow of it in my body; I just couldn't grab onto it. Every single time I tried to move it from my stomach area to my hands, it would remain in the same area. The way chakra feels; it's something that you would need to experience yourself, just because there is nothing to help describe it. If I was to explain how it felt, that closest thing would be a like fast flowing river, and you're swimming against it, in the opposite direction of the flow. To me, that's what it felt like trying to move my chakra. This lasted for weeks, to the point where I was sick and tired of failing at it. I decided to get the help of my mother.

Now, my mother had… changed. It's not like I didn't understand why. She was in pain over the loss of my father, just like my father in my old life. But this depression lasted for months. She would still cook and clean for me; she just didn't interact with anything or anyone. She didn't smile anymore, not like before. This would remind me of my old life and I kept telling myself that she wasn't going to hurt me. That she wasn't going to change. But no matter how many times I did tell myself, I'd always be terrified that she would change and become like him. This helped me in my decision to become a shinobi. By becoming one, I would be able to protect my mother. So my first step in becoming a shinobi would be asking for help.

* * *

She was sitting on the couch like usual, staring at a photo that was in her hands. She was so skinny and pale; it worried me. How did I not notice? I walked over and stood right in front of her. I took a deep breath and asked a question.

"Mama, what's that weird feeling in my stomach? It's really warm…" I trailed off, noticing that she wasn't paying attention to me at all. "Mama?" I asked again, not so sure of my plans anymore. After a moment of silence, she then looked at me, shock reflected in her eyes.

"You can feel that? That warm feeling?" she asked me, quietly.

"Yeah. It's all…tingly. Whenever I try to grab onto it, it slips out of my grasp. Why?"

"That warm and tingly feeling you're feeling? It's called Chakra." She told me slowly, in her feeble voice.

"Ch'kra? Do I say it like that?"

"No dear, it's called Chakra. Try to say it like me, Cha-ku-ra." She pronounced. After I tried for a few times, I managed to say the word like she did. After realizing my accomplishment, I jumped with happiness. I looked at her from the corner of my eye and noticed my mother smiling. I turned around and saw my mother laughing with tears streaming down her face, greatly shocking me.

"Mama, are you okay? I didn't do anything bad right?"

"No dear, I'm just really happy right now. You make me happy, do you know that? I'm so sorry Haruka; I was such a bad mother these past few weeks. I'm so so sorry." she told me, still crying. I climbed up onto her lap while cursing my height and hugged her. She held me tightly, almost afraid as if I was going to disappear. "I love you, don't ever forget that." She whispered into my hair. After a few minutes passed, she set me down on the floor and stood up, wiping her hands on her pants. She then kneeled down so she was my height.

"Come here dear. I'm going to unlock your chakra." I walked over to her, somewhat unsure. "It's alright, it won't hurt. I'm just going to put some of my chakra into you to jumpstart yours." She told me, as if she had read my thoughts. She lifted my shirt and gathered chakra into her hands. I was awed by the blue surrounding her hands, and before I knew it, she had touched my stomach and inserted her chakra into me. For a moment, nothing had happened. Then, I felt something change. My chakra felt more… active. My mother looked at me and smiled. "Go ahead dear; try to gather your chakra. You should be able to do it now." After I tried for a few seconds, I shouted in happiness.

"Mama, I can gather it! Thank you so much! I love you!" I hugged her, excited for what I could now do. She laughed and picked me up again. In all this excitement, my stomach growled, showing my mother how hungry I was. Embarrassed, I hid my face from her.

"Sounds like someone's hungry. Wanna go out and eat?" I nodded my head, because I would rarely be able to go outside. She carried me to her room and put me down on her bed to get ready. While she was changing, I looked around the room for a few seconds. I soon saw that my mother had stopped and was looking at box that was in the closet. I squint, trying to look closer to see what was contained in it. I then noticed a vest and hitae-ate. A couple of seconds passed, and she slowly picked up the vest and put it on. She then took her hitae-ate and after staring at it for a few seconds, she slowly tied it around her head. She picked me up and while she walked out of the room with me in her arms, she asked me "Are you ready?" I nodded my head. We both left the house, ready to move on from the past and preparing ourselves for the future.

* * *

"Oh my god. I completely forgot about your birthday didn't I Haruka? I'm so sorry." My mother said to me, looking completely ashamed of herself.

"It's okay. I didn't care anyways." I said in a carefree tone. My birthday was months ago anyways. My third birthday was coming up if I think about it.

"No, it's not okay. I shouldn't have forgotten. Even if it was months ago, I'll make it up to you today alright? It's my duty as your mother." She called over the waitress of the restaurant. "It's my daughter's birthday today. I was wondering if you had some sort of dessert that could be prepared."

"Of course, shinobi-san. I'll have it prepared as soon as possible"

"Thank you." The waitress then wrote down the order and walked away.

"You didn't have to do that mama. It's okay. It's not my birthday."

"I'm not going to argue to a toddler. You're getting cake and that's final. You're almost three. Be more… childish." My mother scolded me jokingly.

"It's not my fault I'm ahead of my -"

"Akiye-chan! It's been a while since I last saw you!" A man with silver hair rudely interrupted me. He reminded me of someone, but I didn't know who. I had a weird sense of nostalgia looking at him.

"Sakumo-kun, how are you? Haruka, introduce yourself." Oh my god. Its Sakumo Hatake isn't it? Gee, this'll be interesting.

"Hello Sakumo-san. I'm Aotomi Haruka." I introduced myself.

"My, isn't she a polite little girl. How old is she?" he asked my mother.

"Well, she's two and a half, almost three. What about your kid? How old is he?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself? Kakashi, get over here and introduce yourself!" he shouted to the other side of the restaurant, getting the attention of a little boy with silver hair and a mask on. He walked over slowly, almost as if he was embarrassed. He stood right next to Sakumo, grabbing his pants.

"Hello, I'm Akiye and this is my daughter Haruka." My mother told him.

"Hello Akiye-san, Haruka-san. I'm Kakashi Hatake" Sakumo ended up laughing by his answer. I didn't see what was so funny, but I guess he did. After a while, Sakumo somehow ended up sitting next to my mom while Kakashi next to me. After they finished talking, both of them looked at us.

"Oh my goodness, is it just me or do our children not know how to act their own age?" Sakumo asked my mom. "Actually, never mind. I don't know about little Haruka here, but Kakashi never does, no matter what I say or do. It's actually quite terrifying."

"I actually don't know Sakumo. It's been… a rough time lately. I haven't been paying attention." Guilt flashes through his eyes for bring up this part of the conversation. Realizing that my mother wasn't 100 percent back-in-business yet, I pulled on Kakashi hair (It so much fun but I'm getting déjà vu doing this and I don't know why) to get him to change the subject.

"Uh, dad?" Kakashi asked quickly, trying to get rid of the awkwardness surrounding us.

"What?" his dad quickly replied, quite worried. Chuckling, my mother interrupted him.

"Well, I hate to get in the middle of your question Kakashi-kun, but it seems like the cake I ordered is here." The waitress came up to our table with my cake. Setting it down, she turned toward my mother.

"Is there anything else that you need?" My mother shook her head and thanked her and turned towards me.

"Well Haruka, is seems that they already added the candles. You ready to make a wish?" Sakumo was quite confused and asked why we had a birthday cake when it wasn't my birthday. My mother quickly told him what happened during these past few months. After hearing the story Sakumo tried to walk away, saying he was interrupting, but my mother forced him to stay. She said about wanting to spend more time with a friend.

"Make a wish Haruka!" Clearing my head, I thought of what to wish. I then took a deep breath and said,

"I wish to become a kunoichi so I can protect the people I love." I said after I blew my candles, the two adults sitting in front of me looked very shocked. Well, my mother did, not so much Sakumo. He almost looked… sad.

"Are you sure sweetie? Is that what you really want to do?" my mother asked, very unsure. I squirmed in my seat and looked at Kakashi, unsure. He just stared back at me, almost like… he was happy? Surprised? I couldn't tell which one. Looking away I stared at my mother and asked her why. Before she could tell me, Sakumo interrupted.

"That's a pretty big wish you're making there, little girl. Are you sure?" Sakumo asked. I felt somewhat offended. Was he saying I couldn't become a kunoichi? That I wasn't capable of it?

"Oh well, Haruka eat your cake so we can leave. Okay? There was nothing wrong with your wish." My mother said, interrupting my thoughts. While my mother and Sakumo were talking quietly about something, I grabbed a fork, only to realize that Kakashi was being silent. I looked over, only to see him eyeballing my cake. Laughing in my head, I turn back towards my cake and split it in half to put on a separate plate.

"Here. I can't eat everything anyways." I tell Kakashi, my cheeks burning for some reason. Silently, Kakashi takes the plate and thanked me, looking too. We both began to eat and while we were enjoying the cake, we failed to notice the weird gleam in each of our parent's eyes_._

* * *

**A/N****:**_ So how was the third chapter? Was it good? I know that in the second chapter, Haruka's flashbacks were memories of her old life. But in this one, it was a current memory of her small little family. So I managed to write over a 2000 words. What an accomplishment! It may contain some errors, but I came up with the chapter while in science. I read over it many times to make sure, but oh well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a review and don't forget to follow this story! It's not ending just yet! For more facts follow me on Tumblr! You'll find the link in my profile description :)_

**Edited: 03.18.15**


	4. A New Path

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

* * *

"**Well this road I'm on's gonna turn to sand**

**And leave me lost in a far off land**

**So let me ride the wind til I don't look back**

**Forget the life that I almost had"**

_-The Longer I Run_ by Peter Bradley Adams

* * *

**Haruka P.O.V.**

Soon after meeting Sakumo and Kakashi, my mother had started my training. She taught me many things. She taught me things like chakra control or how to properly hold a kunai. After a few weeks into my training, my mother noticed that I was far more mature than children my age. I had stopped talking like a little child because I hated the way I would sound but that seemed to bother my mother so much. I soon forgot about it that though. All I could think about at that moment was to train. I could feel the tension in the air, the beginning of the Third War. Sakumo may not have gone on the mission that started the war yet, but relationships between the hidden villages were not good.

My third birthday passed with me and my mother going to a park to "act" like my own age. We ended up meeting with Sakumo and Kakashi again. Apparently, Sakumo had the same idea with my mother because Kakashi was "just like me." It had to be painful to watch us when all we would do is stare at the playground and kids, unsure what to do. It's not that I forgot how to act like a child, I just didn't like too anymore. To me there was no point. I was a 20 year old girl stuck in a three year old body. I had better things to do than running around on a playground. My mother never took me back there again though.

I picked up on the things my mother taught easier than children my age, who would probably struggle with. By the time I was three, I had almost perfect chakra control. My mother had refused to teach me anything that dealt with ninjutsu, saying that it was for my safety. I understood her worry because I was a toddler; I didn't have a big chakra reserve. But on my birthday, I told her that wanted to learn ninjutsu. My mother agreed and even though she wasn't happy, we started training the next day.

"Mama, what jutsu are you going to teach me?"

I turn around and see my mother walking out the door connecting to the backyard.

"I'm not teaching you anything dangerous, if that's what you're wondering. I'm just going to teach you the Bunshin-no jutsu okay? She says to me while shaking her head.

"Wait, that's but that's an E-rank! Can't you teach me something that's a higher level?" I ask, frustrated with having to learn something so… boring.

"Of course it's an E-rank. You're not even a student at the Academy yet! Why would I teach you something that's a higher rank when you're technically _not_ a shinobi or a student?"

"But ma-"

"Just stop it Haruka. I promise to show you a different jutsu only _if_ you manage to perfect this one. Okay?" grudgingly, I nod my head, realizing that I had lost this argument and any other discussions continuing it. Walking towards me, she shows me the hand seals for the bunshin. "Follow my hand seals and make sure you remember which one is which. You ready?" I nod excitingly, forgetting about the argument.

_(20 minutes later…)_

"Mama! I finished the jutsu! Look!" I shout, much to her shock. My clone is standing right next to me smiling (after I commanded it to).

"You managed to create a perfect clone already?"

"Yeah, I can create more than one too! Aren't you proud of me?" I say to her, looking up. Before she answers, she suddenly turns pale. She starts to frantically look around, almost afraid.

"That's great dear. Um… let's take a little break okay?" Confused by her sudden nervousness, I turn around and nod. After walking back into the house, I head towards the scroll room instead of the living room. I look around, trying to find other scrolls that I could probably use for later. After a few minutes of looking, I found the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu. Thinking about why that jutsu name sounded so familiar, I realized that it was coming-of-age jutsu for the Uchiha clan. I carefully take it out of the shelf and open it. Soon after opening the scroll, I notice the rank of it. It was a C-rank, two levels above the E-rank jutsu I just learned.

"Should I try it? It looks easy enough…" I say to myself, unsure if I should actually try the jutsu. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I decided that I would. I read the scroll over a few more times, making sure I knew what to do and proceeded to sneak out of the house. I made sure to add chakra to my feet so I would be able to walk silently and by the time I finished walking out of my house, I saw that the sun was setting.

"Wow, how long was I in there? Must've been in there for at least a good hour." I said out loud to no one. After making sure no one was around me, I began to start the jutsu.

* * *

**Akiye P.O.V**

Akiye Aotomi is a kunoichi. There's nothing special about her. She's an average person who just happened to be a shinobi. Sure, she may be a Jounin, but that's about it. She's average at everything else. But then she met Hiro and in that moment, it changed everything. Then she married him and soon became pregnant. They were both so happy. And when she was holding Haruka in her arms soon after her birth, Akiye realized that she loved her daughter so much and that she was going to do everything in her power to protect her. But then Hiro died only two and half years later, it changed everything once again. She lost the meaning of life. But she didn't want to kill herself, because if she had died, who was going to take care of Haruka, the only person Hiro loved more than anything, even herself? Those thoughts kept her alive and kept her going. But she began to resent the shinobi lifestyle. It had killed her parents, her brother, her friends, and her husband. It had taken _everybody _from her. But when her daughter started showing interest in it; her heart nearly stopped. She always knew that Haruka was a little different, that she was smarter and more mature. But to become a shinobi? Akiye was scared again.

"_Are you sure?"_ She had asked, and when her daughter looked so sure of her choice, she just couldn't say no. So when her third birthday came, she came up with a plan to make Haruka interact with children her own age because the seriousness her child possessed scared her. But that didn't work and it caused Haruka to work harder in her training. Then it got worse. Haruka was becoming well known as the next generation prodigy, next to Kakashi. This terrified her because she knew that it was only a matter of time before the Council would hear about it and ask her to enroll Haruka into the academy early. All they cared about was power after all. And when the day Haruka perfected the Bunshin-no-jutsu, she realized that the childish and immature Haruka she once knew was... gone.

Third Person P.O.V

"That's great dear. Um… let's take a little break okay?" Akiye looks around, noticing that the Hokage's personal Anbu were watching them. Nervous, she watches Haruka go back into the house. "Calm down Akiye, you're being paranoid…" she tells herself while walking back towards the house. A few seconds later, she sits on the couch tired, not so sure of her decision anymore. "Why did I agree to this?" She asks herself. After a few minutes, she hears a knock on the door, but she already knows who it is.

"Hokage-sama, what a surprise! How can I help you?" she asks the Hokage with a false smile.

"Ah, I'm pretty sure you already know why I am here. I was wondering where litt-" he suddenly stops, looking very alert. "Akiye-san, where is your daughter?"

"Haruka? She should be in the scroll room…" she tries to sense Haruka, but she realized that her daughter was now in the backyard with half her chakra depleted.

"I think your daughter is doing something in your backyard Akiye-san. I see smoke coming from something." He said, trying not to chuckle. She suddenly pales and runs toward the backyard, leaving the front door open. He let himself in, walking towards the backyard.

* * *

"Damn it Haruka, I told you I would teach you something _after_ you perfected the Bunshin!"

"But I did a perfect Bunshin!"

"_I_ am supposed to be the judge of that, not you! What the hell were you thinking, doing the Katon jutsu? You could've killed yourself! It's a C-rank for god's sake!"

"But-"

"Don't Haruka. I've had enough of this. Do you understand how much stress this puts on me? Knowing that you want to learn more than you can handle? You could've died!" Seeing that the argument was starting to getting personal, Hiruzen decided to interrupt them.

"Akiye-san, I understand that you must be livid knowing that Haruka did this behind your back, but I believe this conversation could be held at a different time." Red from anger, Akiye bows toward the Hokage and apologizes. She then turns around and tells Haruka to introduce herself.

"Hello Hokage-sama. I am Haruka Aotomi." Haruka slightly bows too, looking a little pale because of what her mother had said.

"Hello Haruka. Why would you do something like this? Did you know she was going to get this mad?"

"Well, I was trying to learn the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu because my mom taught me the Bunshin, which took me about 20 minutes to learn properly. I didn't think she would react like this to me learning the Katon jutsu though..." she said feeling ashamed for worrying her mother.

Hiruzen was interested now. It took Kakashi at least 45 minutes to learn the Bunshin correctly.

"How far are you in that jutsu? If you don't mind me asking that is." The Hokage asks trying to change the subject.

"Well, I can show you!" She shouts out, and before anyone can stop her she runs to an isolated spot in the backyard.

"Wait, I don't think-"

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" She breathes in deeply and blows, and from her mouth a ball of fire was made.

"Haruka…" Akiye says shock apparent on her face. She turns around, accomplishment shown on her face

"I think your mother and I need to have a little talk okay Haruka? Why don't you go back into your house?" The Hokage said, breaking the silence that surrounded them.

"Oh, um… of course Hokage-sama." Haruka awkwardly said. After her mother and Hiruzen watch her walk back into the house, he turned around to Akiye.

"I know you've seen this coming, especially with the way Haruka is learning right now. The council announced that they want your daughter to join the academy and graduate at soon as possible." The Hokage said.

"What? I would never agree to that!"

"I understand that. I'm not so cruel to where I would agree to do that either. I've managed to convince them to wait until she's five; the average age to join the Academy. However, once she's in Akiye-san there is nothing else I can do."

"What do you mean by that?" she asks the Hokage, but she already knew the answer.

"It means that there is a high possibility to her graduating early. I can't stop her from doing that. The council will do everything they can the moment she joins the Academy."

"Oh my god…" Akiye turns around, her hands hiding her face from the Hokage. "Why does it have to be her?" she asks, quietly.

"I'm sorry Akiye-san. I know this will not make it any better, but Sakumo Hatake has also been asked to do the same." The Hokage says with a grave tone.

"Sakumo too? …" Akiye says. A couple minutes pass and she turns around, tears streaming down her face. "I understand Hokage-sama. I'll… do what I can to prepare her."

"I'm so sorry. I wish there was more I could do more."

* * *

**A/N:**_ Hey guys! I know this is kinda late (for me anyways). I had problems with school and got kinda sick. I'm all better now and I'll have more time since its a three day weekend! But getting back to the story, I hope this one was good. I don't know what Kakashi first learned or when Sakumo went on that certain mission, so i'm gonna guess. Am I making Haruka progress too fast? Or am I making her too smart/mature? I seriously need feedback on this story to make it better so please __**review**__! I need it! Other then that, you'll probably see Chapter Five come out either later tonight or tomorrow! Leave a review and don't forget to follow!_


	5. Decisions

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

* * *

"**Don't count the miles, count the "I love you's"**

**And these are words I wish you'd said**

**But that's not how it went**

**'Cause you gave up on us in the end**

**And I won't make it alone, I need something to hold"**

_-Miles_ by Christina Perri

* * *

**Haruka P.O.V**

"Damn it Kakashi, let me down!"

"No, I don't want to. You'll end up tying me up somewhere in a tree again."

"I promise I won't so let me go!"

"No. You are probably lying to me."

"What else do I have to say that'll make you believe in me?"

"Nothing."

"Alright guys, I think play time is over. Kakashi, please put my daughter down from the tree and Haruka, please don't tempt Kakashi into doing this again." My mother says while walking into the house with a bag of to-go food.

"Okay Aotomi-san. I'll put her down." I eye the kunai in his hands, not completely trusting the person holding it. Kakashi suddenly throws the kunai towards the rope binding me to the tree and before either of us could prepare, I fall right on top of him. Opening my eyes, I realize I'm barely an inch away from his face.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry!" I yell while stumbling backwards, falling back on my butt. He doesn't react for a few seconds, and which causes me to worry. I crawl towards him, preparing to ask him to see if he's okay until he suddenly sits up, almost bumping into me. Again. We stare at each other for another few seconds but before he could say anything, my mother comes back out.

"What happened here? Actually, it doesn't matter. Come back into the house so you guys can eat okay? Your foods going cold and I prefer a warm dinner to a cold one." We both stand up and walk towards the door with a pretty wide space between us. I probably made things a lot more awkward than it was before, and that's saying something. My mother pushes me into the house while I walk towards the dining room. Soon, we were all sit at the table eating our foods awkwardly before my mother starts to ask questions.

"So um… Kakashi, why are you here exactly?"

"Did my father not tell you? He told me that you were expecting me."

"What? He told me absolutely nothing. I woke up to you in front of my door, asking to stay over. That's it."

"Oh. He told me that you were going to watch me while he went on a mission. I ended up staying at home for a few days, but I ran out of food. That's why I asked to come over. Apparently, my dad's mission is a very important one that the Hokage personally picked my dad and his team members for." I suddenly freeze. This mission sounds just like _that_ mission, the one that causes Sakumo to kill himself.

"Of course, that's typical Sakumo. Well, you're welcome to stay here until he gets back. Not like you have a say in that choice but, eh. You'll have to sleep in the same room as Haruka though. I'll pull out another futon for you before you go to sleep." After thinking about what's going to happen, I lose my appetite.

"Um… I'm full. Can I go back to my room Mama?"

"Oh, sure Haruka. It seems Kakashi-kun is done with his food too so why don't you go show him around the house?" I realize that she's not asking, but telling me too.

"O-Oh, okay. Um, let's go Kakashi-kun." I stare, waiting for him to stand up. He turns around and stares at me with his grey eyes, unnerving me. "Hurry up; I have better things to do." I guess he wanted to glare at me instead, because that's exactly what he did. I was getting at the end of my patience because after finding out about the mission and Kakashi staying over, I wanted some "me" time. I walk up to him and pull on his right arm, making him walk right next to me.

"Let me go Haruka."

"No. If I do, you'll run away and I'll get in trouble. I prefer _not_ to get in trouble." I walk around the first floor quickly, telling him what room is what. Once we get to the second floor, he rips his arm out of my grip. It was my turn to glare at him. He almost made me fall again. I decide that I had enough of seeing his face (or his masked face) and turn around, walking towards my room. I open the door and push him inside seeing that he was being a stubborn kid.

"This is your room? It's really boring."

"Gee, thanks. I totally needed advice from a three year old boy." He then glares at me. Again. The nerve of this kid!

"I'm almost four, unlike you."

"Oh? I'm sorry; I didn't think you knew how to count."

"Say's the girl with hair that looks like an angry cloud."

"At least I don't look like an old man, unlike you with your grey hair."

"It's not my fault my hair's this color! It's hereditary!" I laugh at him, realizing at how childish he actually is. Wow, do I act like that sometimes too? Wait… I'm acting like him right now aren't I? Oh well, this is fun!

"Hereditary or not, does it have to be so ruffled and proofed up?" I ask him with a smirk.

"Take it back! It's not my fault!"

"Never!" Being the little girl I currently am, I turn around and try walking out my room, completely forgetting one of the first things my mother taught me. "Never turn your back on an enemy." Hence the words _try_. Kakashi tackles me, causing both of us to fall. "What the- Let me go!" I try pulling his arms off of me, failing. He then proceeds to flip me on my back, leaving my breathless.

"Heh, I'm paying you back for earlier." My eyes widen.

"Come on! I didn't mean too!"

"I don't care." He then decides to smirk, making me angrier with him. He literally _sits_ on me, making sure I don't move. Now, you may wonder why I don't just push him off. Let's just say, he's heavier and stronger than me.

"Let me go!"

"No." I decide that we're in a really awkward position. Well, to me, so I try pushing him off. Of course, I end up failing. We end up in this staying in this position for a few minutes, until I see a pillow within arm's reach. I smirk and reach for the pillow. Kakashi turns around, but he's too late. I hit him right on the face, causing him to fall a little bit backwards. This lets me get up and tackle him to the ground, but I lose my balance and end up crashing onto him. Oh, the irony.

"What the hell Haruka?" He pushes me off of him, causing me to bump into my bookshelf. Something falls onto my lap, making me look down to see what. My face pales and the somewhat playful aura that surrounded me disappeared. Kakashi noticed the sudden change in the air. "Are you okay?" I flinch and turn my head away. Kakashi looks at the object in my hands. It's a picture of my dad and mom with me hugging him, all smiling at the camera.

"It's a picture of my family." I say to him quietly. He points to my dad, looking confused.

"What happened to him?" I don't answer that though, because it causes me pain to say it out loud. Realization shows up in his eyes after he thinks about my reaction.

"My mom died when I was young too. I don't remember her, but my dad talks about her all the time." I look at Kakashi, shocked at him telling me about his past. But then again, none of the things that caused him to shut off his emotions had happened yet.

"Oh. I'm sorry." I tell him, unsure of what to say.

"It's okay. She died when I was just one year's old. There's no way I would remember her even if I wanted to." A few minutes pass by without one of us talking. "If you don't mind me asking, how did he pass away?" He asks me again gently; as if he was afraid I would snap at him.

"He was killed by Iwa-nin during a mission. I was about to turn three." I walk towards my futon and Kakashi follows me. We both sit back down.

"Oh. You remember him?" He turns around and asks me, shock showing up in his eyes again. Most people don't remember things from that age do they? Damn it, what should I say?

"Oh, I have… photographic memory." I come with something right on the spot. Not bad. Not bad at all. I yawn, realizing how tired I am after everything that's happened today.

"Kakashi?" I ask quietly, my eyes closing.

"Yeah?"

"We're friends right?" I snuggle into his arm, getting more comfortable.

"Yeah Haruka. I guess we are." Warmth surrounds me, causing me to fall unconscious. And before I completely fell asleep, I hear him whisper, "Thank you."

**Akiye P.O.V**

She couldn't believe Sakumo would leave his kid at her place without an explanation. It was so much like him! Sighing, she cleans up the table, hearing the kids fighting in the hallway. She chuckles, thinking back to the time her and Sakumo were children. After a while, she sits back down on the table and starts looking through the files she brought back home from work. She looks at file after file until she sees one that catches her eye.

"An Iwa-nin…" She suddenly freezes. Double checking the picture, she realizes this man looks almost identical to Hiro. She opens the file with a swift push of chakra and starts reading about him. "180 cm. He has black hair and brown eyes… and an affinity for lightning chakra." She drops the file onto the table and leans back into the couch. She decides that she's overanalyzing it and looks at the clock and notices the time. Seeing that it was almost eight, she realizes that Haruka and Kakashi need to go to sleep soon. Getting up, she notices how quiet it's been. She walks up the stairs carefully and opens Haruka's bedroom door.

"Oh my goodness." Lying up against the wall, Haruka and Kakashi were fast asleep with her head laying on his shoulder while his laid on hers. Akiye grabs a blanket from the closet and wraps it around them, smiling. Walking out the door quietly, she closes the door thinking,

"No matter how mature these children are, they possess a certain innocence to them."

**Haruka P.O.V**

I wake up to the sun shining through the window blinds. I close my eyes, snuggling into the warmth that was next to me. The warmth turns suddenly moves and I open my eyes and see grey ones looking down at me.

"Oh. My. God."

"What the-"

"Get off me Scarecrow!" I push him away from me, causing him to move off the futon.

"Who the hell are you calling Scarecrow?"

"I'm calling you one idiot!" We end up arguing for a few minutes about his new nickname and how we fell asleep.

"Ugh, children, it's eight in the morning. Can't this wait until later?" I turn around and run to my mom, leaving Kakashi alone on the floor.

"He fell asleep on me!" I look up to her, tugging at her shirt. Shock shows up in her eyes at the way I was acting. Wow, did I act like an adult _all_ the time?

"Oh well. Get over it. Ugh now that I'm awake, I'm going to go do something useful like making breakfast. Come downstairs when you're done arguing." She turns around and walks down the stairs, muttering about how this was going to be a weird day. I turn around towards Kakashi and look straight into his eyes.

"This never happened."

"Agreed."

By the time Kakashi and I went downstairs, food was already on the table.

"Hurry up and eat, I'm going to go shopping and you guys are going to come with me." We both look at her in surprise. "What? I have two children with working arms and legs. I'm going to take advantage of that. Now, hurry up!" I look at Kakashi and begin to eat. This is going to be a long day.

* * *

My mom couldn't have been more wrong about today was a weird day. People kept staring at me and Kakashi. Because of this, we both ended up hiding behind my mother's leg, much to her shock once again.

"Mama, why are they staring at us? They don't look very happy to see us. Especially Kakashi." I tell her once we walk out of a shop.

"I don't know Haruka." She looks behind her at a fruit stand. We stand there for a few seconds, waiting for my mom to pick the fruits she wants. Suddenly, a man walks in front of us.

"Your dad's a disgrace to Konoha." He says while spitting at Kakashi.

"Excuse me?" My mother turns around, furious. She pushes us behind her and grabs him by his shirt while dragging him down until he's my mother's height. "I dare you to repeat that one more time." While my mother deals with the man, I turn around to Kakashi and wipe that man's spit off his chest.

"What did he mean? My dad's not a disgrace."

"Don't worry, he's probably just mad." I say, reassuring him. But then someone pushes into us and we both fall.

"I hope your dad kills himself, Kakashi." They group of men flee the moment they see my mother turn back towards us.

"Come on guys, something not right. Let's go back home." She leads us out of the Market, but not before we hear the insults that were being said toward Kakashi.

"Did you hear? Apparently, Sakumo Hatake decided to save a comrade instead of finishing his mission."

"No way!"

"Yeah. Apparently, this mission made things a lot worse between Iwa and Konoha. He might cause a wa-"

"Quiet down, they'll hear you!" We pass by a group of ladies talking. My mother decides that she's had enough of this and picks both of us up and leaps up onto the roofs.

"Aotomi-san, what do they mean? Did my dad do something?" Kakashi asks confusion and hurt in his eyes.

"I don't know Kakashi-kun. Wouldn't your dad pick you up if he was home?"

"Yeah, but they're talking about him like he's back in Konoha." Realization shows up on my mother's face. She changes direction and starts heading toward the Hokage office. I, for one, already know what's happened. Sakumo Hatake saved his comrade instead of finishing his mission, breaking one of the Ninja Codes. I start to tear up, knowing how I couldn't do anything to stop this. I wipe the tears away before anyone notices and look at Kakashi. Before I could say anything though, we reach the building and my mother puts both of us down. She walks through the doors and without telling the lady at the desk that she's going to see the Hokage.

"Excuse me, you can't just walk into-" Kakashi and I both run after my mother, not bothering to tell the lady what we're doing. We go up the stairs and right when we turn around the corner, we see my mother walk through the doors that open to the Hokage's office. We sneak over to it, trying to listen in on the conversation.

"Hokage-sama, I'm sorry for my sudden appearance, but I have a question to ask."

"Oh it's quite all right Akiye-san. What's your question?"

"I was wondering if Hatake Sakumo has come back from his mission. I have been hearing rumors of something happening to him." There was no response, and we were getting even more curious. We lean against the door more, but it suddenly opens and I end up fall onto Kakashi (God, I'm always falling on him, aren't I?) We both look up to see sadness in my mother's eyes. "Get up you two." My mother tells us before turning around towards the Hokage.

"Kakashi-kun, your father is currently in the hospital." The Hokage says gently to Kakashi.

"Oh. He's going to be okay right?"

"Of course. It's just that… you shouldn't ask about the mission okay?" Kakashi's face suddenly turns hard.

"Did something happen? Did someone get killed?" My mother winces, almost as if she already knew the answer. I turn towards the Hokage.

"Are we allowed to visit him Hokage-sama?" he looks to me and my mother, then back at Kakashi.

"Of course. I believe you should go see him now." My mother gently walks us out of the Hokage's office and thanks him for his time.

"Let's go see your father Kakashi. I'm sure he's fine."

* * *

"I was wondering if you could tell me where Hatake Sakumo's room was located at." My mother asks the nurse in charge of rooms.

"Hatake Sakumo? He charged himself out about an hour ago."

"Damn it. Thanks. Let's go Kakashi, Haruka." We walk out the doors, only to be picked up by my mother again. "We're going to go to your house, okay Kakashi?" she asks.

"Thank you Aotomi-san."

After a few minutes, my mother reaches the path to Kakashi's house. She puts us down and we walk towards his house but when we get there people are surrounding his house throwing stones and bottles while cursing at Sakumo. My mother seemed to just… snap.

"What the hell do you guys think you're doing?"

"What do you think lady? We're t-" My mother walks up to the man who spoke up. The air suddenly spikes with killing intent, and half the crowd flees.

"I will repeat myself. What. Are you. Doing?"

"N-Nothing, K-Kunoichi-san. Nothing a-at all! We'll b-be on our w-way then." The rest of the crowd runs off, scared that my mother will do something to them. She turns around and stares at us.

"Come on guys. We're going into your house Kakashi; I can sense your dad in the living room." We walk towards the gate and into the house. Before either of walked in, my mother brought herself to the front of us. "Kakashi, I want you to understand. Your father may have broken a rule, but he saved a comrade's life. That's all that matters okay?" He nods, and looks at my mother.

"Thank you for what you did earlier." My mother ruffles his hair.

"That was nothing Kakashi. Sakumo would do that same for Haruka if the situation was switched." She turns around and walks into the living room. "Sakumo? Kakashi-kun's home." For a moment, there was no sound. Then suddenly, we hear a man's voice.

"Don't let them in Akiye. Especially Kakashi. Please, I can't let him see me like this." He says quietly to my mom.

"Sakumo, I understand that you're in pain right now, but don't you think you should at least see your son?"

"I can't Akiye… I just can't right now…" I turn around to see what Kakashi's reaction is, but he's gone.

"Mama, Kakashi disappeared. What should I do?" I ask my mother, making sure not to step into the living room.

"Haruka dear, Kakashi's in the backyard. Why don't you go talk to him? It'll probably make him feel better."

"Alright then. I'll be outside if you need me." I turn towards the door and put my shoes on. After walking outside, I see Kakashi sitting by a tree. I walk towards him, not sure what to say because honestly, what's there _to_ say?

"You know, they call my dad Konoha's White Fang." I sit next to Kakashi, silently listening. "I'm proud of him, you know? It may not seem like it, but I am." A few seconds of silence pass by us. "But then he just… broke those rules. I'm not sure what to feel." Thinking about what knowledge I already possessed, maybe I can change things.

"I think you should just feel what you always feel about him. You love him right? Well keep loving him. You want to make him proud right? Well keep making him proud. Because in the end, it's better to have a father than to have none at all." I turn towards him and smile. "But I'm pretty sure you'll make the right choice in the end." I turn back around and lean against the tree, hoping my little speech would change Kakashi's mind, unlike in canon where he hated his father. And if I turned around in that exact moment, towards Kakashi, I would have notice a smile on his masked face while hope flashed in his eyes.

* * *

**A/n:**_ Its 430 am right now, and i probably should go to sleep but this story wouldn't let me! I hope chapter five is good and not poorly written like the last chapter. I wasn't sure if I made Kakashi too nice and childish, but in the end I thought "At the end of the day, he is still a kid." I also hope I didn't change him a lot xD Well, exciting things will happen next chapter that'll make you kinda emotional! Be prepared :) Don't forget to leave a __**review**__ because_ _it actually helps. I really need to know what I need to fix and what i should do! Suggestions are a writer's best friend (For me anyways) Don't forget to follow too! Well, have a good night/morning wherever you are :) _


	6. Separation

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

* * *

"**Bring me home in a blinding dream,**

**Through the secrets that I have seen**

**Wash the sorrow from off my skin**

**And show me how to be whole again"**

_-Castle of Glass_ by Linkin Park

* * *

"Kakashi, Sakumo wants you to stay with us for a while." My mother walks out of his house and into the backyard.

"What?" Kakashi asks, clearly wanting to stay with his father.

"I know you probably want to stay and I told him that, but your father is pretty adamant that you don't stay here."

"But…" My mother walks up to him and kneels down until she's his height.

"He needs time to himself. Especially because of what's happening right now. But I'll let you visit him starting tomorrow okay?" Kakashi nods silently, thinking about what she said.

"Mom, does that mean we're going home now?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, let's go back to the house."

Akiye P.O.V

After walking back to her house with Kakashi and Haruka, she heads straight to the dining room where she left her files from the night before.

"Aotomi-san, may I use your backyard to train for a bit?" She turns her head and looks at Kakashi.

"Sure, but be careful. Oh, and please get Haruka to train with you too. Is that okay?" Kakashi stares at her with a blank stare, unnerving her. Someone so young shouldn't be staring at her like that.

"Thank you. I'll get Haruka right away." She watches him walk towards the scroll room where Haruka currently is. She then turns back towards the pile and immediately looks for the file from last night. She finds it and while she opens it she can hear Haruka arguing with Kakashi as well as the slam of a door. Turning her attention back to the file she rereads Iwa-nin's profile again, her heart starting to beat faster again.

"_This man is too much like Hiro"._ She thought to herself. Almost everything is identical to him. The only thing that made him different from Hiro was his eyes; they were a shade darker than Hiro's. After reading more about him, Akiye's head started to hurt. "_You're overthinking it Akiye. It's just a mere coincidence." _Taking one last look at the picture, she closed it and moved on to a different file. "_It's not him Akiye, it's not" _she continues to say to herself.

(_A few days later)_

"Hey scarecrow, are you going to go see your dad today?" I look up from my food and ask him. He glares at me because of his new nickname.

"Yeah, I am." My mother walks into the room with a plate full of food and looks at him.

"I'm going to go with you if that's okay, I need to talk to him about something."

"Of course you may. You don't need to ask me Aotomi-san." She nods and places the plate in front of him.

"You can call me Akiye, Kakashi. You keep calling me by my last name and it makes me feel old."

"U-Um, okay Akiye-san." My mother sighs and just nods.

"Close enough." After a few minutes I realize that it meant I would be home alone if I don't go with them.

"Wait, so do I have to go with you guys?" I ask my mother.

"Of course, I'm not leaving you alone in the house anymore. Especially because of what happened last time." My face turns red and I look down. My mother sees my reaction and starts to laugh while Kakashi looks at both of us, clearly confused. "I'll tell you later Kakashi." I turn my head towards her with my eyes wide.

"Wait, don't! It's embarrassing…"

"That's the exact reason why I _should_ tell him!" I glare at her and turn my attention back to the food in front of me. After a few minutes we were all helping my mother clean up. "Come on guys, get ready. We're about to leave." I head to my room and change into my long sleeve black shirt with my black shorts. I look into the mirror and take a few minutes to look at my reflection. Whenever I see my face, I always see my mother in it. I start brushing my white hair that falls to my end of my waist. I put it up in a high ponytail and brush my bangs behind my ear, showing my eyes and pale skin. My eyes were such an interesting color because it was something you wouldn't see anywhere in my old world, only in fictional characters like vampires or if you used colored contacts. They were a dark red, almost like the color of a rose. After staring at myself for a few seconds I turn around and leave my room only to run into Kakashi.

"What do you want scarecrow?" He scowls at his new nickname.

"Your mom was wondering what was taking you so long."

"My hair was tangled and I couldn't get it out." I past him and he follows me down the stairs.

"You guys ready? Let's go."

We walked through the village to Kakashi's house, only to be sneered at by people and shinobi. I look over at Kakashi, only to see him look back with a blank stare.

"Are you okay?" I whisper at him. He nods and looks away. He's clearly being affected by all of this. God, I'm stupid for asking that question. I run up to my mother and look up to her. "Mama, are you okay with what's happening to Hatake-san and Kakashi?" She looks down at me with a smile that was obviously forced.

"I don't like it, but what can I do? I can't change anything even if I wanted to." She says sadly. I immediately regret my question seeing the pain it causes my mother. We turn around a corner and my mother suddenly freezes. I look around and notice that we're near Kakashi's house. I'm so confused, what's wrong? I look up at my mother, only to notice how much paler she was… Wait, it's already been a week since Sakumo came back from his mission. Does that mean... Oh my god, is he dead? Did he kill himself? My mother starts to run to his house.

"Akiye-san?"

My mother didn't bother answering Kakashi and she just kept running. We started to run, worry clearly etched into Kakashi's face. When we reached his house, I heard my mother scream.

"Mama?" I shout and run into the house, not bothering to take off my shoes. By the time me and Kakashi reach the room, my mother was kneeling in front of a dead Sakumo. After one silent second, Kakashi pushes me into the doorframe and runs up to him.

"No, no no no! Dad?" He kneels down and looks at him.

"Sakumo…" I walk towards my mother who just whispered his name. I didn't know the relationship between them, but it was clearly a close one. I look around, only to see Kakashi standing right next my mother and staring at his father with guilt in his eyes. I turn around and walk out the room, leaving my mother and Kakashi to mourn. I lean against the wall and start to cry. I'm so pathetic; if I had tried I may have been able to save him. I couldn't protect them from this. I punched the wall. Why didn't I do anything? Was I too scared? I was weak, so weak… I thought I had changed things. Kakashi didn't hate his dad. Wasn't that the cause of Sakumo killing himself originally? I wipe away my tears and stare at the backs of my mother and Kakashi.

"I'll never let you feel pain like this again. I swear." I whisper.

* * *

The first time I met Minato Namikaze was at Sakumo's funeral. My mother and I were standing next to Kakashi under an umbrella while it rained around us.

"_**Daddy, where's Momma? Isn't she coming home?"**_

I shake my head trying to forget the old memory; the past was behind me after all. I stand next to Kakashi with my hand on his shoulder. I don't say anything though because there's nothing for me tosay. I may have lost a father, but I lost mine in a different situation. I look around and notice that Minato was talking to my mother. Huh, I never thought that she would know him. But then again, they _are_ shinobi.

"Hey Kakashi wh-"

"Sorry for interrupting you, but I need to talk to Kakashi if that's okay." I look up and see a man with the _yellowest _hair and the_ bluest_ eyes I've ever seen. My eyes widen and I just stand there and… stare. He started to fidget under my stare and all I could do was stare at him. This lasted for about 30 seconds until my mother walked over. Wow, I need to work on my first impressions.

"Hello Minato. I see you've already met Haruka." My mother puts her hand on top of my head and chuckles.

"Uh… yeah, I have." He looks down and smiles at me _ohmygod his smile_ and I just blush. He scratches his hair, looking very embarrassed. "Anyways, I wanted to talk to Kakashi about something, if you don't mind Akiye-san?" She looks at him for a moment while I stand there being stared at by Kakashi.

"Of course you can Minato." She smiles at him and then looks at Kakashi. "I'll be right over there okay?" He nods and looks away. My mother turns me around and walks ahead of me; I follow her but not without sneaking one last look at Kakashi and Minato. I see Minato say something to him but then scowl.

"Mama, what's going to happen to Kakashi?" I ask after catching up to her.

"I don't know. He'll probably go to the orphanage or someone that was close to Sakumo would adopt him into their family." She tells me without turning around. I wonder if my mother though about taking him in. It doesn't seem like such a bad idea, he was staying with us for a while after all. Realizing that I've never met or seen Minato before in this life, I need to be "introduced" to him.

"Who was that man?" I ask my mother. She turns around and just stares at me until she starts to laugh.

"That man was Minato Namikaze. Why do you want to know? Does someone _like_ him?" I turn red and look away, cursing my adult brain. You can't blame me though! He is a _very_ attractive person. I'm passing this off as a crush that a little girl has anyways. Hehe.

"N-No!" I turn my head around and cross my arms. She laughs again and ruffles my hair.

"I see Kakashi coming back; let's go see what Minato wanted from him." I run up to him and stare at him.

"What did he want?" He stares back at me with these blank eyes that make me want to run away.

"He was wondering what I going to do now that my father had passed." My eyes widen at the way he was talking to me, so monotone.

"I-Is that so Kakashi?" My mother however does flinch under his gaze. I look at my mother worryingly.

"Yes, that is correct Aotomi-san." I frown by the way he talked; it was so different from a couple days ago. He even called my mother by her last name after she told him to call her Akiye.

"Well, let's go back to the house. We have to talk to the Hokage tomorrow." He nods and just walks away. My mother watches him until he was too far away to see.

"A four year old boy shouldn't have those kind of eyes or that way of talking." She looks down at me and I notice the amount of emotions that were showing on her face. "Promise me that you don't turn out like that. Please Haruka, I beg you." I grab ahold of her hand and squeeze it.

"I promise." I would soon break that promise, not that I knew it at the time.

* * *

**A/N:**_ I know this chapter was pretty short compared to the last two, but I have a good reason! The next chapter will be out very soon and it didn't feel right to continue the chapter with this ending. Now, before anyone who bothers to complain, I will explain that Haruka has a harmless "little girl crush" that I know in a way is kinda true. I actually knew a little girl who was about three or four that had a crush on my friend. In a way, Haruka is slowly turning into a little girl. Hehe part of my plan! xD Also, I know Sakumo was alive when Kakashi tried for the entrance exam to the Academy but I decided that Sakumo would have to die earlier for the story to kinda work. I hope it wasn't too confusing! Haruka is almost four in this chapter if anyone was (also) wondering/confused. Please__** review**__ and don't forget to follow! :) Have an awesome day!_


	7. Taken

**A/N: **_Hey guys! I know that usually my A/N's are at the bottom, but I need to point some few things out. I know I promised the story was going to come out early, but I lied Dx I had to change a lot and yeah. This was a hard chapter, not to mention I got a MAJOR headache because of school. So… FORGIVE ME DX To make it up; I made the chapter a little longer than usual! Well, you can skip the continuing A/N because all I'm doing is thanking the reviewers :)_

_**Yellow Horse**__: I thank you so much for your review! I already responded by PM but I forgot to point out that for the P.O.V., I'm going to have to continue with what I'm doing because I'll need It for the rest of the story :/ Sorry! I hope you continue to read In Time though! I'll try not to make it as confusing as it was before._

_**CeciliaWinnfer**__: Thanks for your review! As promised, here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy this one as greatly as you did the others :D_

_**LazySilverNinja**__: Thanks for the PM and review! I know yours was a couple chapters ago, and I apologize that it's taken this long to point it out Dx But regarding your review, if other people haven't noticed Haruka and Kakashi will probably end up together in the end of this story! I've already planned that out too. Hehe XD_

* * *

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

**WARNING: CONTAINS LANGUAGE**

"_**Bolded Italics: Flashback/Memories"**_

* * *

"**For what I've done**

I** start again**

**And whatever pain may come**

**Today this ends"**

_-What I've Done _by Linkin Park

* * *

Haruka P.O.V

"Akiye-san, I understand that you have requested to be Kakashi Hatake's next guardian." I was next to my mother in front of the Hokage's desk while standing in his office.

"Yes, that is true Hokage-sama." He closed his eyes and blew out smoke from his mouth while a pipe hanged from it.

"I would agree to the request. However, there are many people who have voiced their anger against that. Those people instead have put their request to adopt him." My mother's eye started to tick. I looked at her and then towards the Hokage. Other people?

"I see. And may I be identified with those people?"

"I believe Danzo-." My eyes widen along with my mother's. Danzo? That wasn't good. Not good at all. But then again, Kakashi was an orphan who was also a genius. Didn't Danzo want those kinds of kids in Root? If I remembered correctly, Tenzo (or Yamato) was nobody; he had no relatives and was taken as an experiment for Orochimaru, which got him get "saved" by Danzo causing him to go into Root.

"Danzo?" My mother said, cutting the Hokage off. "Hokage-sama, I understand he is a councilmember and one of your close friends. You do not have to listen to me because I am just a shinobi, but I honestly do not think Danzo adopting Kakashi is a very logical choice." My mother's voice shook. "Anybody but him, please. You have to understand my reasons!" The Hokage's eyes turned toward me and went back to my mothers. Why did he look at me?

"Don't worry, I understand your reasons. Minato has already expressed his dislike for that option too. I have already told Danzo that he will not be able to adopt Kakashi. However, the council wants to have a meeting with you and Minato. I cannot stop that." My mother looked at him in surprise from hearing Minato's name.

"Minato?"

"Yes, he is one of the other people who have asked to be Kakashi's guardian in your place."

"What?!" The Hokage winced. "What does he know about childcare?" My mother asked.

"The council favors this idea more." My mother glared at the wall and clenched her fists.

"Of course they do Hokage-sama. No offense to you, but all they care about is power in the end. Minato was the genius of his generation. What is better than having a genius teach another?" My mother said carefully in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm sorry. Once again, I wish I could do more. You're meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at noon. If you word your reasons right though, you may be able to win them over." My mother sighed and nodded.

"I understand Hokage-sama. If you excuse us." She turned around and looked at me. "Let's go Haruka."

* * *

"The nerve of that boy! How dare he go ask the Hokage for Kakashi!"

"Mama, calm down. You're being really loud." I said, walking next to her.

"Sorry. It's just that… He's so young. What is he, 15? 16 years old? He has absolutely no experience raising a child. What the hell can he do for Kakashi besides train him?" I tuned my mother out, leaving me to my own thoughts. What did happen to Kakashi in the manga? All I remember is that… wait, wasn't Sakumo supposed to die _after_ Kakashi takes the entrance exams for the Academy? Did I somehow change something? Well… fuck. Kakashi may have been one of my favorite characters in the manga, but I didn't know much about his early childhood. I guess I should've read more about him. "Well, the meeting with the council is supposed to be tomorrow. What could I say to convince them?" My mother said while putting her hand on my head, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"Just tell them the truth about the way you feel about the situation." She looked down at me, her eyes narrowed.

"The truth?"

"Well, you think Minato is too young right? Tell the council that. Minato's never raised a child before, well tell them that too."

"Huh. That's true. Kakashi practically lives in our house now anyways."

"You're smart." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Ha-ha, very funny. Not everyone can be a genius like you." We turned around the corner and walked towards our house. I saw Kakashi going through stretches in the backyard, his forehead creased like he was thinking hard about something. "Well, I'm going to get dinner ready, go tell Kakashi. And while you're at it, go through those stretches I taught you too." I nodded my head and ran toward Kakashi.

"Hey Scarecrow! My mom's getting dinner ready!" He looked at me weirdly.

"Okay." He looked back down and my face scrunched up. I just stood there and stared at him, which caused him to look back up again. "What?"

"Nothing." I looked away, closing my eyes. I inwardly sigh. What did I do to change Sakumo's mission? Why was Sakumo sent so early? I walked towards the tree in the yard and started to stretch out my legs.

Since my birthday is in about four months, that meant I'll have to go to the Academy for entrance exams. Who would take Kakashi to the exam? It would either be Minato or my mother. I sighed again, realizing that if Minato got guardianship of Kakashi, I may not see him as much as I do now. Not that it bothered me; it was just that I actually enjoyed his company despite him being a stubborn little shit most of the time. I switched positions and began to do the cobra pose. My mother taught me that your body would be lying flat on the floor, your arms pushing you up which caused your abdominal muscles to stretch. While doing this stretch, I continued to think. I wondered what would happen to me if my mother was killed, who would I go to? I don't think I have any relatives left. Ugh, I felt a headache coming on from all this thinking.

"Haruka! Kakashi! Come in for dinner." I finished stretching and stood up, watching my mother walk back into the house with Kakashi right behind her. My life was good. I just hope my luck doesn't change, not yet. I jogged toward the door, but before I could reach it someone grabbed me by my waist and covered my mouth, causing them to carry me. I tried to struggle, but the person holding me was too strong for someone with my stature. I felt a pinch in my arm and my eyes widen. After a few seconds, I started to see black spots and my eyesight was starting to blur. Damn it, I was starting to lose the feeling in my arms too. I tried to move, but I knew there was nothing I could do. I struggled to open my eyes one more time and I saw my kidnapper. Their face was covered by an animal mask which meant I could only see their eyes; it was brown, almost like the color of chocolate. He was holding me and I felt tears form in my was such a familiar warmth and feeling. It almost felt like... I was being held by my dad again. I closed my eyes and decided to welcome the darkness that surrounded me. Mama... I'm sorry…

* * *

Third Person P.O.V.

Akiye was putting plates full of food down on the table when she heard Kakashi walk into the room. She looked behind him to see if Haruka was there, only to see no one.

"Kakashi-kun, where's Haruka?" He looked at her and then behind himself.

"She was behind me Aotomi-san."

"Oh, well go get her for me please. She's probably looking at something outside."

"Okay." He turned around and walked out the door. The moment he left the room, Akiye shivered. It felt almost like someone was watching her. She looked to see if there was anyone, but all she sensed was Kakashi and Haruka. She sat the drink on the table but suddenly froze at the scream of pain that came from a child. She dropped the cup and ran out the room, a kunai immediately in her hand. When she ran out the door leading to the backyard, she saw Kakashi on the ground clutching his arm and his face (or what's showing of his face) scrunched in pain. But when she saw her daughter unconscious in the arms of a stranger, all she saw was red. For a moment, she thought she saw the kidnapper freeze at the sight of her, but she didn't care. All she cared about was saving her daughter. She ran toward the kidnapper while going through hand seals for a Katon jutsu. The person saw and ran away from her while holding Haruka. Akiye stopped her hands and the buildup of chakra; she realized that if she continued the jutsu and used it, she would've hurt her daughter. She turned around and looked directly at Kakashi.

"Kakashi, alert the first shinobi you see and tell them that I'm in direct contact with an enemy ninja." He just stared at her, shock in his eyes. "Go!" She ran after the assailant, hoping that she was fast enough to save Haruka. While Akiye went in the direction of the enemy, Kakashi stood up and ran in the opposite direction, toward the Hokage tower. While running, he bumped into several civilians until one of them stopped him. He turned around and instead of seeing the face of an annoyed civilian, he saw Minato grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"Where are you going in a hurry Kakashi?"

"H-Haruka was kidnapped and Aotomi-san told me to find someone and tell them that she's in direct contact with a-an enemy. Please save them Namikaze-san!" Minato's eyes widen and he grabbed Kakashi. Minato flared his chakra, alerting the Anbu. He sensed the Anbu running toward the Hokage tower._ Probably to alert the Hokage_, he thought.

"Tell me which direction they went in." Kakashi pointed in the direction Akiye went and Minato ran in the same direction with Kakashi on his back. After running for a few minutes, he saw Akiye fighting a lone figure in an Anbu-like mask.

"Right t-there Namikaze-san!"

"I know, hold on Kakashi." Minato pushed chakra into his feet, causing him to run faster. Kakashi was suddenly on the ground and Minato was at Akiye's side.

"Minato! That man, h-he took Haruka!" She shouted at him while holding her arm, which was covered in blood.

"Got it!" But before Minato could do anything, the person in the mask laid Haruka on the ground (quite gently) and ran away. Akiye's eyes widen and instead of running towards the person she ran towards her daughter, worry clearly showing on her face. While Akiye kneeled in front of Haruka, Minato continued to run after the masked stranger. Akiye picked Haruka up while brushing the hair away from her face.

"H-Haruka?" She whispered. Kakashi walked toward her, not knowing what to do. Akiye felt Haruka's neck to see if she could find a pulse. After panicking for a few seconds, she finally felt a slight beat coming from Haruka's neck. Akiye cried out, happy that her daughter was safe at that moment. She looked up and sees Kakashi standing in front of her; worry was also in his eyes. She turned her head towards Minato, who was walking back to them. "S-She needs m-medical assistance Minato." Her voice shook and she stood up, looking back at Kakashi. "We're going to the hospital Kakashi. Can you go with Minato?" As soon as he nodded his head, she ran as fast as she could without hurting Haruka toward the hospital. Minato turned toward Kakashi and proceeded to pick him up.

"Don't worry Kakashi. I'm sure Haruka will be fine. All we can do is hope for her right now." Kakashi kept his body still, unsure if one of the few people he cared was going to be okay. He wondered if a person he cared about was going to die again, leaving him alone in this cruel world.

"A person can only hope, Namikaze-san." whispered Kakashi while he closed his eyes.

* * *

Haruka P.O.V.

I was standing in darkness while I saw images pass by around me. I saw a girl with black hair getting hit by some man. I was then seeing a girl with white hair talk to a boy with silver hair. Who are these people? Are they people I know?

"**Get off me Scarecrow!"**

"**Who the hell are you calling Scarecrow?"** I turn around to the sudden noise and see an image of the same girl and boy, yelling at each other. This looks… somewhat familiar. I try to touch that image, but the moment I move toward it, it moved out of my reach. I try again, but the image continued to do the same thing. Frustrated, I follow the image not caring where I end up. All of a sudden, something tripped me and I fell forward, into the black void that was below me. I scream, but then there was…_nothing._

* * *

"Get the hell away from my daughter!" I opened my eyes, hearing the voices of many people. Wow, my head hurt.

"Akiye-san, please keep your voice down."

"As if! What the hell is that… dog-thing doing there?!" Confused, I tried to move but the moment I did, I realized there was something… On top of me?! "Haruka?"

"M-Mama?"

"O-Oh my god, Haruka dear, don't move or speak. Like, at all. Okay?" I look up, not listening to my mother. The first thing I saw? A big furry butt with a tail. My eyes widen, and I screamed.

"Fuck, Haruka I told you not to do anything!" The butt moved and the next thing I knew, there was a dog staring at me. A big, scary, dog with fangs.

"U-Uh, h-hello there Mr. Doggy."

"Who the hell are you calling Doggy, you little runt?" The moment the dog talked, everybody in the room became silent. Like, deathly silent. Well, until my mom broke it.

"Did you just talk?" The dog took one last look at me and then turned around to face my mother, leaving me to stare at its butt. Again.

"Yeah, I just talked lady. Who the hell are you? I smell Hiro on this human but I don't see him anywhere." My mother's mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"You mean my dad?" The dog looked back at me and opened its mouth to talk. Oh god, so many sharp teeth.

"Your dad? Is that why I smell him all over you? You're his pup?"

"H-Hiro… was my husband and her father." My mother suddenly said, causing him to look back at my mother.

"Was?" He asked, confused.

"He… He passed away about a year ago." The eyes of the dog widened and he made a small whine.

"Damn it. I was wondering why he never summoned me anymore." I wiggled, trying to see if I could move. Sadly, I was still being sat on, so I couldn't.

"U-Um, it's not that I'm complaining, but I really want to move now."

"Oh, sorry Little Runt. I'll move." He stood up, his legs standing on the bed around me and sat back down next to my body.

"Can I see my daughter now?" The dog growled at my mother, still not letting her near me.

"No. Not until I get some answers!" He suddenly yelled out. My mother sighed and sat down on the chair in the front of the room, never letting her eyes off the dog. I just realized, all the nurses in the room left!

"So what do you want to know, dog?" He snarled at the word.

"First, I am a wolf. A. Wolf. Who goes by the name Raijin by the way. Second, who are you? Third, why the hell am I here?"

"Well Raijin, I am Haruka's mother. I don't know how you got here or why, but all I know is that I saw you on top of Haruka just this morning." Raijin nodded his head and decided to lay down next to me. Have I mentioned that I absolutely LOVE dogs and wolves? Hehe this is secretly making me squeal like a fan-girl (on the inside).

"I sense your uneasiness, Haruka's mother."

"You can call me Akiye, and yes I am quite uneasy. There is a wolf right next to my daughter, who is by the way trying to touch your coat."

My eyes widen and my hand freezes, an inch above Raijin's back. He slowly looked at me, amusement showing in his eyes.

"If you wanted to pet me, all you had to do was ask Little Runt." My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Is that going to be my new nickname? Little Runt?" He laughed (or tried too).

"Yes, I quite like it!" He suddenly jumped off my bed.

"You may see your daughter now, Akiye-san." He walked out the open door. My mother ran toward me and started to cry.

"Oh my god Haruka, you don't understand how scared I was." I looked at her in confusion. Scared? Why?

"Um… Why?" She looked at me. "What? I'm really confused on why I'm in the hospital. Did I do something?"

"You don't remember?" My mother asked. I shook my head. What happened? Damn it brain, why did you choose now to be all stupid? "You… almost got kidnapped."

"Kidnapped? Like full on, kidnap?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"You don't have anything to say?" My mother asked.

"Nope." I shrugged my shoulders. "Actually, where's Scarecrow?" My mother laughed at the nickname.

"Kakashi's with Minato." My eyes widened after I remembered something.

"Mama, who's going to adopt Kakashi?!" I shouted at her.

"Don't worry, Kakashi will be staying with us from now on." I screamed out in happiness. He doesn't have to stay with Minato! I hugged her and she ruffled my hair. Such a happy moment. It just had to be ruined by the sound of a growl that was directed toward Minato and Kakashi.

"Uh Akiye-san, why is there a wolf in front of the doorway?" I jumped off the bed and ran toward Raijin.

"Raijin, this is Minato and Kakashi. Kakashi's a butt, but he's okay."

"Hey!"

"Hehe. This is Minato-nii! He's really nice too." I pointed toward the blonde man. He laughed and picked me up.

"Okay then Little Runt. I'll let these people come near you from now on." I laughed only to hear the confused "_what?"_ that came from Kakashi.

"It's a long story Scarecrow."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Never!"

* * *

_Well, here you go! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to review and follow :D Have an awesome day/week!_


	8. Graduating

**Quick A/N:** So, there's gonna be a time-skip happening in the story! Haruka and Kakashi have already turned five and are joining the Academy.

**Lazy Silver Ninja: **__Thank you for staying with the story! I hope this chapter is a good one. The first part of the chapter may not be that well written like the other half, but that's only because it was hard to write. I hope it's not too bad though Dx__

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, my OC's.**

* * *

**"Standing in the hall of fame**

**And the world's gonna know your name**

**'Cause you burn with the brightest flame**

**And the world's gonna know your name**

**And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame"**

_-Hall of Fame_ by The Script feat. Will.

* * *

Here I was, in front of the entrance for the Academy with my mother standing next to me with a proud grin. Of course, there were a bunch of children my own age all around us too.

"Hey mama, why didn't you take Kakashi with us?" I asked her. I always expected my mother to bring Kakashi along with us, but it seemed like that wasn't happening.

"Well, Minato said he wanted to take Kakashi. He'll be here soon. And besides, we needed to bring Raijin with us anyways. That right there is like another kid." My mother's mood seemed unwavering today, while I was quite the opposite. I sighed, which of course got me in trouble by my mother. "Haruka quit slouching. And stop sighing. You're still five, quite acting like an old man. Today's supposed to be a good day!" I glared at her, trying to dampen her mood. But nope. She just stood there smiling at me.

"Pup!" Raijin said while he walked towards me, causing some children to scream. I would too, if a 70 kilogram wolf was walking towards me. Just saying. "I'll be with you for the whole entire day!" He then looked at my mother. Well, more liked glared at her.

"Do you have too Raijin?" She didn't seem very happy anymore. Wow, my mother really doesn't like the wolf.

"Yeah. Not like I have a choice anyways. I'm technically _bound_ to her." He then sighed, like he thought I was an annoyance. He was pretty annoying too, but I forgave him for most of the things he did wrong just because he's cute (but scary, can't forget that.)

"Akiye-san! Haruka-chan! Sorry for being a little late!" Minato came walking up to us with Kakashi on his shoulders.

"Minato-niisan, who's the old man on your shoulders?"

"Hey!"

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know that was you. Your hair makes you look old Kakashi." I smiled sweetly at him. The adults standing with us started to laugh.

"Okay, that's enough hostility between the two of you. It's supposed to be a happy day!" Kakashi and I just stared at Minato. He seemed quite shocked by the two of us looking at him. "W-What?"

"Why would this be a happy day?" I asked.

"It's school. _School._" Kakashi said.

"Exactly! School isn't exactly the most _fun_ place in the world." I said while scratching Raijin behind his ears, causing his leg the thump.

"You guys… What did I do wrong? Aren't kids supposed to like school?" I stared at my mother. I hated school back in my old life, why would I like it here? "Oh well, I see the Hokage walking over here. Come on!" Minato sets Kakashi on the floor. I walk up to him with Raijin following me

"The wolf is so big. Is he even allowed in the building?" Kakashi whispered to me while the Hokage walked up to the podium, starting his speech.

"Yeah, they have to let him in. He's technically like the Inuzuka ninkens. And the wolf has a name. It's Raijin."

"I know that." I smiled at him and looked toward the Hokage. He was finishing up his speech towards the parents and children. Even though all the children screamed and laughed with each other. I even saw one kid picking his nose. I sighed once again.

"This is going to be a long day."

* * *

"Hey kids, go pick a seat." Everybody ran into the classroom as soon as the teacher shouted his instructions, leaving Kakashi and I standing awkwardly outside of it.

"Pup, why are you hesitating?" We both looked at Raijin.

"It's just that… this is probably our first time being surrounded by kids our own age." I said, including Kakashi.

"It doesn't help that they're very childish." Kakashi said, crossing his arms. Raijin and I flipped our heads towards Kakashi. He shrugged his shoulders. "What?" I shook my head. For someone who was considered a genius, he was pretty stupid.

"Let's just go in. I see three open seats in the back row." I grab Kakashi by his hand and walk into the room full of kids.

"Why three?"

"Duh, we have Raijin. Does he look like he'll fit on top of my head?" I said to Kakashi while we walked toward the open seats. If only he was smaller. Then we could've become Akamaru and Kiba of this generation.

"I would crush you Pup. That wouldn't be very good for me. I'm almost triple your weight too. Not to mention I'm the same height as you."

"Well duh. I'm still five; of course I'm going to be lighter than you. And technically, you're a little taller than me. I'm only about 110 cm." I whispered at Raijin. Wouldn't want to be too loud in a classroom of future ninjas.

"Well, that's the taller side for kids our age." I looked at Kakashi. I opened my mouth to say something, but the teacher slammed his hands on his desk, causing everybody to quiet down.

"Well brats, welcome to the Academy. I'm Hakka Hyuuga, your teacher until you guys graduate." I sat there realizing that he didn't say at a specific age. Didn't that mean Kakashi or I could graduate early?

"Well, I'm sure you guys know what's happening outside of the village borders right now. Right?" I saw many kids nod their heads. Most of them were clan kids though. I would see why, most civilian parents probably don't tell their kids about the Third Shinobi War. Well, Hyuuga-sensei though there were enough people who knew so he didn't bother talking about it. "Well, since today is the first day, I'll let you guys interact with each other." He sat down in his chair and opened a book. That basically meant, leave me alone.

"Damn it." I smack Kakashi on the backside of his head. "Ow!"

"That's what you get. Watch your mouth." I turned his head toward me while holding his head.

"It's not like you don-"

"Hey, don't hurt Kakashi-kun! Who do you think you are?" Kakashi froze and I turned around and looked at the girls that were glaring at me. Man, so much anger in a bunch of five or six year old girls.

"Uh-"

"Are you okay Kakashi-kun?" A girl standing in the back asked. I tried to see who it was, but there were too many girls. I thought I saw some purple on her face, but I couldn't tell.

"I didn't even hit him that hard! Why all this hostility?" I said quite loudly. Wow, Kakashi already had a fan-group. Quite sad really.

"Because, he's so cool." A couple of the girls giggled and blushed.

"And cute!" I think I just puked in my mouth a little. Have a mentioned most of them were five?

"Don't forget special!" I snorted at that comment. Special? That makes me want to laugh.

"Yeah, he's pretty special in the head." I muttered out loud. It didn't go unnoticed by Kakashi though.

"Hey!" I glared at Kakashi and told him to shut up.

"Hey, don't talk to him like that!"

"Well, get over it. All I did was slap his head and tell him to be quiet. I didn't even hit him that hard." One of the girls face turned red and she took a step forward, but was stopped by Raijin who jumped in front of me.

"Don't step one foot closer to Haruka, brat." He snarled, hackles raised.

"Who do you think you are wolf?" The leader of the group said stupidly.

"Stop!" My eyes widened and I shouted. I ran forward to stop her from taking another step, but she thought differently and decided to punch me in the face. My butt fell to the ground with my hand at my cheek. I shook my head and stood up. She smirked at me, thinking she had won. She turned around, but before she could fully turn, I ran and punched her in the nose, probably breaking it. I felt the crunch in her nose when my hand made contact with her nose. And of course, the teacher saw that exact moment. Not a few minutes before when she punched me, but only when I did. Wow I had crappy luck today. He walked up to us, and the girl cried out while holding her nose,

"She punched me first!"

"I did not! I punched her because she punched me." I said, pushing back Raijin.

"Did you really?" He asked. He turned around to the students who were watching us. "Can someone tell me what happened?" One of the girls from the group raised her hand.

"Uchiha-san got punched first Hyuuga-sensei." Of course that had to happen. I look around the remaining students and they weren't looking at me or the Uchiha anymore.

"No one?" The teacher asked one more time. I looked at Kakashi and right when he was about to say something, a hand shot out from the front of the room. "You, with the hand, come here." After hearing the scraping sound of the chair a boy with black hair and goggles on his forehead stood right in front of me.

"Actually, Aomi punched this girl first. I swear!" Aomi's face turned red, almost like a tomato.

"It's true Hyuuga-san. That girl punched Haruka first." I flipped my head around and I finally see Kakashi say something.

"Well, I wonder whose telling the truth?" Hyuuga-sensei stood up and looked at us. "I'm letting you guys off with a warning, but this better not happen again. Okay?" Everybody nodded their heads and sat back down, waiting for the bell to ring. After I sat down (not before getting one last glare from Aomi) I started to pet Raijin to calm him down.

"Thanks Scarecrow for standing up for me." I whispered sarcastically.

"Shut up, you know I don't like talking in front of big groups." He whispered back. I turned my head towards him and glared. He decided that he wanted to do the same thing and glare back. We ended up doing this for a few minutes until the bell rang. I jump out of my seat while Kakashi casually stood up.

"Hey you're Kakashi right?" I turn my head around to see Obito talking to Kakashi. Well, he was trying to. Kakashi just stood there staring at him.

"Why do I have to do all the work?" I said to Raijin. I think he did a wolf version of a shoulder shrug and walked towards them. I followed him and shoved Kakashi's shoulder to get his attention. I then grabbed his arm.

"Hi! I'm Haruka Aotomi. Thanks for telling the teacher what happened." I smiled at him. I gripped Kakashi's arm harder.

"Ow! Calm down Haruka. Jeez." I let go of his arm, but not without glaring at him.

"I'm Kakashi. What do you want?" I tried to kick Kakashi in the shin, but he jumped (quite gracefully) to avoid the kick.

"I'm Obito. Are you guys like, twins?" Kakashi and I both stared at Obito with our eyes wide open and mouths hanging.

"Do they look like twins, brat?" Raijin said with amusement in his voice.

"Uh… I can't tell about the face part because of his face both have the same hair color though. ." My face paled.

"Whoa, calm down there Obito. I have_ pure_ white hair, like fresh snow. See?" I fluff the hair around my neck. "I absolutely do not have old man hair color like him." I point back to Kakashi. I avoided a punch to the head from Kakashi by ducking.

"Wow. Um… you guys seem close. If you're not siblings, then what are you guys?"

"Well you see, Kakashi here is my bestest friend in the world!" I said with a big wide smile.

"No, I'm not."

"He's in denial because he knows he is." I say to Obito, completely ignoring Kakashi at that moment.

"Well, I'm going to be stronger than you one day Kakashi!" He runs out the door after shouting at Kakashi. After a few seconds of quiet Raijin sneezed, breaking the silence.

"What the hell was that all about Scarecrow?" I said while I continued to stare at the door Obito just exited. "Ow!" I turn around and look at Kakashi while holding my head.

"Watch your language." He mocked in my voice. Ugh, I hate this kid sometimes!

* * *

The moment we walked out the Academy doors, Kakashi asked me a question.

"Hey Haruka, what do you thing about graduating early?"

"Me? Well, I would want too just because I think the Academy is a waste of time." He looked at me.

"A waste of time?" I shrugged my shoulders and put both of my hands on top of my head.

"Yeah. I know almost everything they teach."

"That's true." He nodded.

"Exactly."

"You want to do it?" He looked at me and Raijin.

"Do what?" I asked, puzzled.

"Graduate early."

"Oh. Count me in!" I said with a smile.

* * *

I sat outside the room that was full of shinobi while I waited for Kakashi to finish his exam. I was fidgeting with the hitai-ite that was in my hands.

"Pup, I'm pretty sure the silver-brat will be fine." Raijin said to me. I looked up and I saw him looking at me with his sky blue eyes. I reached over and started to pet him, letting my hands do something to ease my worry.

"I know." I wanted to change the topic to something less… stressful. "I absolutely love the colors in your fur. Did you know that?" He tilted his head to the side.

"Really? What colors are in my fur then Pup?"

"You have a black coat, but at the same time you have grey and white mixed into it, not making it completely black. Don't forget the thunderbolt mark on your thigh too. It's like so white, it stands out. Just like your eyes." I said while I continued petting him. He put his paw on my legs and I started to scratch his neck, causing his leg to thump onto the floor.

"Ugh, what's taking Scarecrow so long?" I muttered. The moment I said that, the door next to my seat opened and Kakashi came out holding a brand new hitai-ite. "Kakashi! You passed!" I jumped up; knocking Raijin's paw off my legs and ran toward Kakashi, enveloping him into a hug. "I knew you could do it!"

"See, nothing to worry about Pup." I looked at Raijin and skipped back towards him.

"You promised me that you would carry me outside if I passed. And I did!" Raijin laughs and I climbed on top of his back.

"A promise is a promise."

"Well, we should probably go see Aotomi-san and Minato-san." Kakashi finally said.

"Yeah, let's go!" I pointed towards the door and Raijin took off with me holding onto his neck while he ran out the doors, laughing. "We left Kakashi behind! We need to go back Raijin!" I shouted to him when he stopped at the swing hanging of the tree in front of the Academy entrance. That's when I heard a thump and a yelp of pain from in front of him.

"Next time you do that Raijin-san; please tell me so I can be prepared." I jumped off of Raijin and saw that Kakashi was standing up while rubbing his butt.

"Oh wow, he had to carry you Scarecrow in his mouth?" I turned toward Raijin and started to rub his snout. "Poor Raijin, he had to carry old man. He must've had that old man smell too."

"Stop calling me old man!"

"Hehe, never!" I ran around Raijin while Kakashi chased me.

"Get over here Haruka!" I laughed.

"Nope! Raijin, help me!" I shouted to him. The moment Kakashi ran behind Raijin, he "tripped" on his tail, causing him to fall to the ground face first. That's how Minato and my mother found us, Kakashi lying on the floor of the ground and me sitting on top of Raijin's back, smiling.

* * *

**A/N:** _So if you didn't understand, the chapter immediately jumps to Kakashi and Haruka at the age 5 joining the Academy. Nothing important happened between the ages of three and a half to five so that's why I skipped it. The only thing to happen would be training and the official announcement of the Third Shinobi War, as stated earlier in the chapter. Their conversation about graduating early after the first day of Academy then leads up to Kakashi and Haruka taking the Genin exams and graduating (still at the age of five, almost six). I know Kakashi is supposed to become a Chunin when he's six, so in this story, he's still turning Chunin at that age, but he would almost be seven. The next chapter will be them getting their apprenticeships and what happens for a whole year and what leads up to the Chunin rank-up. I hope this A/N helped clear it up for you :) Don't forget to review and leave a follow! It makes me the happiest person in the world when I get those little email's saying "You got a new follower" or "You got a review." Hehe u__ntil next time, have a great day/week! :D_

**Measurement**

**70kg: 154lb**

**110cm: 3ft 6inch**


	9. Happiness has to End Sometime

**I UPDATED CHAPTER 7 A LITTLE. I REALLY RECOMMEND REREADING THAT CHAPTER BECAUSE IT GET'S PRETTY IMPORTANT IN THE STORY. JUST SAYING.**

* * *

**Lazy Silver Ninja**: _Oh wow, what a coincidence! I planned on adding Pakkun into this chapter anyways and then you mentioned it! But he's not a major character in this chapter so he's just coming out to say hi (literally). I hope you enjoy this chapter!_ _It was so fun to write. Actually, half of it was fun to write xD the other half made me want to rip my hair out sadly. But I didn't hate writing it._

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

* * *

"**Your hands are cold,**

**Your lips are turning blue, you're shaking**

**This fragile heart,**

**So heavy in my chest, it's breaking"**

_-Scars _by James Bay

* * *

"Kakashi and Haruka, I congratulate you on becoming Genin. It is quite the accomplishment for someone your age."

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Kakashi and I both bowed to the Hokage.

"Well, I've called both of you here for a reason. Do you happen to know the reason why?" We looked at each other and looked back at the Hokage.

"I believe it is because we're both Genin, which means we need to be on a team." Kakashi answered.

"And because we've graduated early, we don't have teams." I said continuing what Kakashi just said.

"You are either going to assign us to a team or put us on a team that's already formed and is missing a person." Kakashi said. The Hokage nodded his head, agreeing to Kakashi's statement.

"In a way, you are correct." We both looked at the Hokage in confusion. "This is rarely done, but I am assigning both of you to a mentor." Raijin's ears perked up. I looked at him and I wondered what was going on. I knew Kakashi would become an apprentice with Minato, but who would I get assigned to?

"We're becoming apprentices?" Kakashi asked curiously.

"Yes. In fact, he'll be here any moment." The Hokage said, blowing smoke from his mouth. I turned around, and that exact moment my eyes widen.

"He? Is it-"

"SHIT!" Kakashi quickly turned around after I interrupted him. I felt my face turn red from embarrassment.

"Haruka-chan! Where did you learn those words?" Minato suddenly asked.

"Y-You scared me! You came out of nowhere! How else do you expect me to react?" I said sheepishly. Then it dawned on me, I just cussed in front of the Hokage. I slowly my head around and bowed. "I'm sorry for my foul language Hokage-sama!"

"It's alright Haruka-chan. It was quite funny. I didn't expect you say those words though." The Hokage said while chuckling. Kakashi snorted and I glared at him. I turned around again after the Hokage coughed to get our attention. "Both of you meet your new teacher, Namikaze Minato."

"Wait, both of us?" I blurted out.

"Yup. I'm gonna be your new teacher." Minato said with a big grin. I turned my head back toward Raijin, who was licking his paws.

"Don't look at me Pup. I just follow you around." I sighed. Why me?

* * *

"So, you're our teacher?" I asked after walking into a training ground.

"Yes I am." Minato said while smiling.

"Well, I understand why for him," I pointed at Kakashi. "But why are you my teacher too?"

"Well, your mother wanted to become your teacher, but the Hokage thought that you and Kakashi should stick together."

"Oh." I said. Right after I finished talking, Kakashi sighed. "Hey, don't sigh!" He looked at me.

"You're annoying though."

"Hey! You're not the most fun person to be around every day." We glared at each other, ready to fight.

"Now now, let's calm down students of mine." We both turned our heads toward Minato. He smiled at us while scratching his head, sheepishly. My stomach growled causing my cheeks to turn red.

"Minato-niisan, can we go get dango? I'm really hungry." I said.

"You have to call me Minato-sensei from now on!" I stared at him with a _what the hell_ look.

"Yeah Haruka, you have to call him Minato-sensei now." I groaned after I heard Kakashi mocking me. I glared at him while I walked over to Raijin.

"Come on Raijin, we better leave before the idiots infect us with their stupidity." He rose up from the ground and I jumped onto his back.

"Hey, show more respect for your teacher!" Minato shouted out. "And besides, I want to do some training with you right now; we'll go for dango later."

"What?" I shouted out, my stomach growling in the process.

"Yes, training. Now get off of Raijin and come over here." I faked a sniffle and jumped off of Raijin and dropped my head, disappointed that we couldn't get dango. I rubbed my growling stomach while I walked over to where Kakashi and Minato stood.

"What are we doing sensei?" Kakashi asked. Minato was facing the opposite direction Kakashi and I was standing in, meaning we were looking at his back.

"I like the sound of that! _Sensei._" I glared at the back of his head.

"Just get on with the training. I want to eat." He turned around. That was Kakashi and I paled. He was looking at us with a smirk that would make any Iwa-nin run in the other direction. He raised both of his hands in the air like a high-five, but in between his fingers were shuriken. I paled even more, having a pretty good idea about what was going to happen. "U-Uh, Sensei? Why do you have those shuriken in your hands?

"Well my cute little students, why don't I show you?"

"Wait, wh-" I screamed in the middle of my sentence and started to run. I pushed Kakashi out of my way to avoid the shuriken being thrown at us. "WHAT THE HELL SENSEI?!" I screamed out. I turned back around to see Kakashi running right behind me with panic in his eyes too.

"I like hands on training. It's quite effective." Minato said while his hand held his chin like he was thinking.

"Minato-sensei, maybe this isn't the bes-" I let another scream, interrupting Kakashi's sentence. I ducked and rolled on the ground, leaving me with dirt in my mouth but my body intact. I spat out the dirt only to have shuriken thrown at me. Again.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HELP?!" I shouted at Raijin, who was currently lazing around on the ground.

"Of course not Pup. This is _training_."

"THIS IS NOT TRAINING!"

"What are you talking about Haruka? This is training! You don't see Kakashi complaining, do you?" Minato said. I flipped my head around, only to see Kakashi looking paler than usual. That was quite a feat for someone who was already very pale to begin with.

"OF-" *_deep breath* _"-COURSE-" *_duck* _"-NOT, WE'RE RU-" *_roll* _"-RUNNING FOR OUR LIVES!"

"Shit!" I turned my head around in shock and saw that Kakashi's arm was nicked by a shuriken.

"Language Kakashi!" Minato shouted out. I felt like crying. He was enjoying this! "Run my cute little students, run!" Well, I loved my life so far. Could someone tell my mother I loved her?

(_One hour later…)_

"Well, I think the training went well." Minato leaned over me.

"W-Well?" Minato turned toward Kakashi who was on the ground next to me.

"How the hell was-" *wheeze* "-that _well_?" I could barely breathe!

"Like I said, I think training like this is the best way for someone to learn." Minato said with a smile. To anyone else, it would seem like a nice, happy (maybe cute) smile. But all I could see now is a cruel, evil man who loved to cause pain in little kids instead of the nice, older brother figure I used to see him as. This is going to continue for a while, isn't it? A cry left my throat after the thought of doing this again. "It's okay Haruka-chan. I'll get you that dango you wanted." After hearing dango, I realized how hungry I was. Standing up, I groaned at the pain in my legs from all the running and falling I had to do to stay alive. I so didn't want to walk all the way to the dango store. Nope, not happening. No way.

"Raijin, come here." Raijin snorted and walked toward me, knowing exactly why I called him over. I grabbed onto his fur and tried to pull myself on top of him like I usually do, but I failed horribly. I sighed, clearly realizing that Raijin's not going to bend down to let help me, and obviously I can't get up there because of how tired I was. What to do, what to do… Oh wait, I'm such an idiot. I have 180cm tall man right next to me! "Senseiiii, help me get on top of Raijin." I asked Minato, dragging out the "i" in sensei. He sighed and shook his head while he walked over to where I stood, arms outstretched like a baby.

"Alright." I smiled and he grabbed me by my waist and put me onto Raijin's back. "And while I'm at it, here's Kakashi." He walked over to where Kakashi was laying down and grabbed him, placing him right in front of me and on top of Raijin. Kakashi glared at Minato who was looking at us (still smiling, of course.)

"Sensei, I'm perfectly capable of walking home on my own two legs."

"Well you can, starting tomorrow but for today why don't you just stay there. Okay?" Reluctantly Kakashi nodded, clearly uncomfortable at where he was sitting at.

"Well, are we getting dango or not Sensei?" I asked, stomach growling. He laughed and started to walk in the direction of the store.

"Come on, let's go!" Raijin started to walk in the direction Minato was going in.

"Hey Scarecrow, are you okay?" I whispered while poking him. His body stiffened and he looked at me with the corner of his eye.

"Don't touch me." Scowling, I started to poke him more. "Stop it."

"No." His eye started to twitch

"I said to stop touching me!"

"I will if you quit being such a hardass!"

"Haruka-chan, watch your language!" I quickly hid behind Kakashi after hearing Minato's voice. Why did I have to have such sadistic man as a teacher?

"Don't worry; I wonder the same thing too." Kakashi whispered to me, forgetting about the poking. Did I really just say that out loud? Oh kami, why don't you just kill me now?

"Raijin, are we there yet?" I asked.

"No Pup, we're not." He said with an attitude. I looked over at Minato and saw that he was stuck in his little world, smiling at every little thing. Bored, I started to poke Kakashi again.

"I said to stop poking me!"

"No!"

"I'm going to push you off if you continue this!"

"I dare you! f I fall, you're going to fall with me!"

"Ugh, you're so stubborn!"

"Like you're not too?"

"Guys, knock it off!" Raijin suddenly yelled out. We stopped and looked up, only to see Minato talking to some lady. Narrowing my eyes I realize this lady had the reddest hair I've ever seen. Wait… oh kami. Is that Kushina?

"Raijin, who's the lady?" I whispered to him.

"I don't know, but I can smell the love surrounding them. Ugh, it makes me sick." He shivered. Love? You can smell stuff like that?

"Do you think they're dating?" I asked Kakashi.

"Probably. Want to go check?" I nodded. Before I could jump off Raijin though, Kakashi pushed me. My eyes widened and I grabbed onto his shirt, taking him down with me. After untangling our arms and limbs from the ground, we started to yell at each other.

"Damn it Haruka, you were supposed to fall by yourself!"

"I told you if I fall, you're going to fall with me! Remember?" We suddenly realized how loud we were being and looked around, noticing Kushina and Minato walking toward us.

"Thanks Kakashi, now they've noticed us!" I whispered loudly to him.

"Well, hello-ttebane! I've heard so much about you guys from Minato-kun."

"-kun?" I blurted out. Minato blushed and turned his head away from us, hiding his face.

"Hehe, sorry about that. It's just a habit from a young age-ttebane!" Kushina smiled down at us. I was about to say something, but I realized I was doing all the talking. I looked over at Kakashi and noticed the slight blush around his ears.

"Hi Kakashi-kun, I'm Uzumaki Kushina-ttebane!"

"Uh I-I'm K-Kakashi." I face palmed myself. No shit Sherlock. I looked at him and noticed he was acting strangely. It's almost like… oh, he's acting like me when I first met Minato! I tapped Kushina on her leg, getting her attention. She looked at me and kneeled down to my height.

"Yes?"

"I think you broke the boys on my team." She broke out into a big smile and hugged me. Cant… Breathe! She let me go and placed her hand on top of my head while I rubbed my chest. I think she broke a rib…

"I like you already Haruka-chan!"

* * *

"Hey Mama, I'm home~!" My mother turned around and looked at me with a smile.

"How was your day with Minato guys?" Kakashi muttered something about pain while he rubbed his now bandaged arm. "What?"

"Let's just say, Minato-sensei's version of training is quite questionable." My mother looked at me weird. What else can I say? His methods _are_ questionable. Just thinking about today makes me want to crawl under the covers and never come out.

"Okay then. Well, I'm going to go take you guys shopping for new clothes! You guys need some anyways. Look at yourselves, your clothes are ruined." Kakashi looked up and stared at my mother.

"Hehe, new clothes!" I jumped up and down next to Kakashi, who was standing very still, like a statue.

"Shopping?" I smiled at Raijin, but all he did was glare and me.

"Let's go, I want to finish shopping as soon as possible so we can go eat." My mother pushed Kakashi and I out the door. Kakashi let out a groan and face palmed himself while asking,

"Why me?"

I was looking through the racks of clothes when Kakashi walked toward me with a bag already full of clothes.

"You're done already? We just got here like a few minutes ago Scarecrow."

"It's not that hard."

"Lucky you. All I can find are dresses and icky colors like pink." I stared at Kakashi and imagined him in pink. I shuddered at that thought. Who wouldn't?

"What?"

"You don't want to know." I turned my head back towards the clothes. Ugh, all these colors I don't need! Pink? No. Purple? No. Neon yellow? Ew, absolutely not. After I ruffled through the clothes, I finally found a pair of black shorts. Yes! Victory! I walked towards the "ninja" section and started looking for a mesh shirt my size. "Too big… Why do they have one smaller then my size…? Don't have a chest…"

"What?" I looked at Kakashi like he was stupid.

"It's true. I'm still six." I'm turning seven in about six months! My birthday is about two months after Kakashi's. That means I have only eight years to save my teacher and his future wife from dying because of his ex-student going on a rampage. Not to mention the fact that I need to make sure I stay alive long enough… Isn't that such a happy thought?

"I think this is your size Haruka." Kakashi said, interrupting my thoughts. I grab the shirt in Kakashi's hand and check.

"Thank Kami; I didn't want to go through those anymore. Onwards to the shirt that doesn't sell mesh section!" I said while grabbing Kakashi. And he groaned like usual, causing me to laugh.

* * *

"Hey Scarecrow, are you ready? Minato said to meet him at the village entrance around eight-ish, and it's past eight so hurry up!"

"Calm down, I'm coming down right now. I just needed to make sure I had everything I needed." I opened the door and pushed him outside as soon as he walked down the stairs. We needed to go. Like now. We were late to training once and let's just say, we could barely make it back home in one piece. "We wouldn't be late if you woke me up earlier." He grumbled.

"Don't blame me! My mom usually wakes us up. It's not my fault she's on a mission!"

I said while smacking his head.

"What about Raijin? He could've woken us up!"

"It's Raijin, what do you expect?"

"Exactly. Why would I want to wake you guys up? I like to sleep, thank you very much." Raijin said while running next to us. "I'm not your mother; don't expect me to do stuff like that." Speaking about my mother, she left for a mission about two days ago and gave us instructions on how to take care of ourselves. She also told Kakashi and Raijin to not let me near the oven. At all. I don't know how she remembered, but she managed to keep her promise to Kakashi and told him what I did when I was left alone in the house when I was three. It made him laugh so hard he wouldn't stop teasing me about it for days. Let's just say, I had ways to make him shut up, like threatening to burn all his masks.

"There's no time to daydream Haruka, run faster!" Kakashi shouted to me.

"I know so calm down!" After a few minutes of running non-stop, we reached the gate with only seconds to spare.

"Hello my cute little students!" Minato said with a smile. How is he so cheerful when it's early in the morning? I groaned, thinking about who I'm going to be with for the next few days.

"S-Sorry we were late."

"Haruka forgot to wake us up."

"Yeah, blame it all on me why don't you? What happened to blaming it on Raijin?"

"Oi!" Raijin said.

"Now now children, let's behave ourselves." Minato said, interrupting Kakashi and I. "We have an escort mission to a small town outside of Konoha." We looked around until we noticed the wagon with someone sitting at the front.

"What rank?" I asked.

"It's a C-rank. It's not like we haven't done something like this before." I jumped onto Raijin and we started to walk towards the wagon.

"Hey Kakashi, why don't you practice your summoning while we're on the mission?"

"Oh that's a good idea Haruka-chan! You should try it Kakashi." Hehe he's summoning! I'm so excited to see Kakashi's summons again because they were so cute the last time I saw them, especially Pakkun!

"Can you summon Pakkun?"

"That's who I was summoning anyways Haruka."

"I don't understand why you like that little runt so much. You have a big, strong wolf like me." I started to pet Raijin snout while I placed my head on top of his.

"Don't worry Raijin; you'll always be my favorite, no matter what."

"U-Um, excuse me?" We all turn our heads around to the driver. "Could we leave? I want to be b-back in at least two or three days."

"Of course sir! Let's go Haruka, Kakashi!" Thank Kami for Raijin, this meant I didn't have to walk for a while!

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Raijin quickly turned around which meant I was looking at the cloud of smoke in front of Kakashi.

"Hey Kakashi." Being the little girl I am, I squealed and jumped off of Raijin, much to his displeasure. Who wouldn't squeal at a cute little puppy?

"Hi Pakkun!" I said while waving at him.

"Hi Haruka-chan. Want to touch my paws?"

"Ohmygoodness yes!" I skipped towards Pakkun and right when I was about to pet him and touch his paw, Kakashi picked him up.

"No. Get back to Raijin, we need to go Haruka."

"B-But!"

"No. Now go!"

"Why is the world so cruel?" I said dramatically as I fell to the ground, pounding my fists into the dirt." "Why?"

"Great Kami, why do I have to have you as a partner?" Raijin picked me up by the back of my shirt with his mouth, dragging me back toward the side of the wagon.

"Because you love me sooo much Raijin."

"Go ahead and think that Pup."

"Jeez, I feel the love." I grumbled. I looked up and I thought I saw Kakashi smirking. You could never tell with that annoying mask of his. It was so tempting to flip him the finger, but Minato was standing right next to him. I am not risking him getting mad at me. So I did the most childish thing ever. I stuck out my tongue.

"Quit being so childish Haruka."

"Says the boy holding a cute little puppy, no offense Pakkun! At least I have a big badass wolf that's scary!" Damn it, I cussed anyways!

"No offense taken Haruka." Pakkun said, waving his paw at me.

"_Now_ you accept me Pup? Why do I have to deal with you?"

"Language Haruka!" I stood up and held onto Raijin.

"Protect me from the big, mean, scary teacher Raijin!" Raijin grumbled something about biting me. Of course while I was dramatically asking for protection, Minato shunshined behind me and smacked me upside my head. "Ow!" I looked up at him while he stared at me with disapproval.

"Is she really a ninja? She's so… loud." I heard the driver whisper to one of the ninja's at the gate.

"Come on Haruka, let's go." Kakashi said, clearly embarrassed of me. Hehe imagine me when he starts to date! He'll hate me forever.

"Alright alright, don't get your panties in a bunch" I climbed onto Raijin and we started to walk out the gates. I immediately became more aware of my surroundings because in the end, we are in a war. There was always a chance of attack from another hidden country. Of course, no one was stupid enough to attack this close to Konoha, but no one could be too careful.

"Hey Pup; I'll let you play with my fur since you couldn't touch the little runt's paws." Raijin whispered to me. I secretly squealed inside and started to play with his fur. I acted like I didn't notice, but I think I saw him do a dog version of a smile.

* * *

You know, these past few days let me think about what or why I'm even here, in this universe. Because when you think about it, I've probably changed a shit ton of things. Let's list off some of those changes, shall we? It's quite scary.

1\. Minato is teaching not just one, but two students before getting Team 7, who may or may not exist anymore.

2\. My friendship with Kakashi and if I remember correctly, he was like a robot, always following the ninja code.

3\. So I changed his personality?

4\. Can't forget Raijin either.

5\. Oh, and my existence in general.

This pretty much sums up what I've come up with so far. But the scariest part to me? It's losing all of those who I love. My mother, Minato, Kakashi (I know, ew), Raijin, and even this village. I've come to love all of them and I don't want to let that go. I don't want them to die or get destroyed.

"Pup, I know I'm interupptin' your thoughts but I can smell a group of people coming this way. Way too fast for civilians." Raijin whispered to me. I look around and see Minato looking more alert than usual. I tap Raijin on his head twice to tell him I was jumping off. I jumped off and walked towards Kakashi who was a little bit ahead of me.

"_Group of enemy-nin ahead."_ Kakashi signaled to me.

"_I know. Where do we go?"_ I signaled back. We both looked at Minato.

"_Kakashi, move to other side. Haruka, stay with Raijin where you're at." _ Raijin walked up to me while Kakashi moved to the other side. I start to pet Raijin's snout but he probably sensed my discomfort and licked my cheek. I stared at him in shock because let's face it; Raijin is a stubborn, arrogant wolf who doesn't show much emotion besides anger and annoyance.

"Thank you." I whispered. After a few minutes of walking, the air suddenly turned _still._ Nothing was moving. There was no wind, no birds or forest sounds. It was only the sounds of our feet hitting the ground. Then out of nowhere, a group of Iwa-nin came out of the trees and attacked us. Since Minato was the only Jounin on this mission with us, they all attacked him first

"Haruka, Kakashi, don't forget the mission! Protect the wagon and driver at _all_ costs!" No matter how much we wanted to go in and help our sensei, Kakashi and I knew we needed to stay where we were at. And besides, he was probably fine on his own. Two of the shinobi broke off from their group of five and headed towards Kakashi and I. They obviously thought we were easy kill because of our age. The man walked up to me and sneered.

"Aww, it's a little girl acting like a ninja. I'm gonna kill you now. No hard feelings." Raijin and I growled. I never knew I could growl, especially like a wolf (dog?) but it didn't matter at that moment. He ran towards us and started to attack. The good thing about being small? I could move a little faster than him, letting me evade a lot of his attacks. "Just stay still!"

"No, I don't-" *duck* "want to die!" I ran behind him and threw the shuriken in my hands towards his face. He jumped out of the way and smirked, thinking he could avoid my attacks. And I'll give it to him; he did 99 percent of the time. But he forgot about Raijin (I don't know how you could, it's a fricken wolf the size of a child) and landed right where Raijin could jump up and bite him. It caused him to fall on his back and basically get attacked full-on by a wolf.

"Fuck!" He shouted and I ran toward him fully intended to help Raijin, but I didn't notice the other shinobi running towards me. He kicked me in my stomach, causing me to land about two meters away.

"Damn it." I landed on my side, causing me to cough up some blood. I stood up and held my kunai.

"You and the wolf are nuisances." The new shinobi said. He attacked me with a speed I couldn't keep up with; he kept kicking me and punching me no matter what I did. By the time Raijin finished attacking the first man, I was on the ground covered in bruises and cuts while blood dribbled out of my mouth. There's no way this guy's a Chunin. He's got to be Jounin level. I coughed again, causing more blood to come out of my mouth.

"Pup!" I looked up and saw Raijin run towards me. I stood up the moment Raijin ran in front of me, growling.

"Seems like your little wolf killed my teammate. He deserved it. Getting killed by an animal is such a stupid way to die." The guy said while looking back in repulsion. He brushed his black hair back, revealing purple eyes.

"H-How could you say that? He was your teammate!"

"I could care less about a teammate." He said.

"You d-disgust me." I said. He smirked and ran towards me. I knew that if I got hit by him one more time, I would get knocked out or killed, so I braced myself for the blow. It never came though because Raijin knocked me onto the ground and took the hit for me. The hit caused him to land three meters behind me and hit a tree.

"RAIJIN!" I cried out. I ran towards him, forgetting about the shinobi who stood in front of me. I kneeled in front of him. "R-Raijin?" I asked, brushing the fur around his face. He didn't wake up or move and it caused me to see red. "Y-YOU KILLED HIM!" I turned around and screamed. I ran towards the shinobi fully intended to kill him. With speed and strength I didn't know I possessed, I somehow overwhelmed him. It caused him to trip and I landed on top of him, stabbing him in the chest with the kunai that was in my hands. I fell off of him, staring at the now-dead man in shock. I looked at him and my hands, and I realized something.

"I-I killed him." I said.

* * *

Third Person P.O.V

By the time Minato and Kakashi finished their fights, Haruka was sitting on the ground, shaking.

"Kakashi, go check on Raijin." Minato said. Kakashi nodded his head and walked to where Raijin laid, unmoving. Minato bend down and placed his hands on Haruka's shoulder. "Haruka …" The words he was going to say died in his throat because she was looking up at him, covered in blood. She started to cry and fell towards Minato, clutching his vest.

"I-I killed him! I didn't want to but he hurt Raijin and I killed him! He killed Raijin!"

"It's okay Haruka." Minato said while rubbing her back. It hurt him so much to see one of his students in pain. But this was a pain that he couldn't protect them from.

"H-He could've had a family, a wife! Or even children! A-And I just took him away from them!" She sobbed. He looked behind him to see Raijin struggling to sit up. He looked back at Haruka only to realize she had turned silent while gripping his chest. He looked at her face and saw that she had cried herself to unconsciousness. He picked her up and walked towards Kakashi and Raijin.

"Raijin's okay. He was knocked out, but that's about it. I managed to wake him up." Minato saw him trying to help Raijin walk.

"I-Is she okay? Is Haruka okay?" He looked at Raijin's face and saw so much worry in his eyes.

"She's fine, just shaken up by her first kill. But I think she needs to be with you when she wakes up."

"Damn it! If only I wasn't knocked out." Raijin said. He tried stepping on his right paw, only to grimace in pain.

"I-I could summon one of my dogs to help you walk if you want Raijin." Kakashi said, trying to help. Raijin was tempted to say no because he had his pride, but he knew he need help walking and the boy couldn't help much.

"That would be very helpful Kakashi." Kakashi summoned Bull, the biggest out of the entire pack.

"Bull, can you help Raijin?" Bull nodded and helped Raijin walk towards the wagon. "I-Is she really going to be okay Minato-sensei?" Minato looked down towards Kakashi who was looking at Haruka worryingly.

"She'll be a little shaken up because of what happened, but that's bound to happen. All we can do to help her is support her and be around her." Minato decided to change the topic because the one they were talking about was very dark. "So, did Pakkun help you in your fight?"

"Yeah, he managed to bite the Iwa-nin and leg, causing him to fall and let me knock him out." Kakashi said, while rubbing his arm.

"Where's Pakkun now?"

"I let him reverse summon himself back. He was a little hurt and I wanted him to get better."

"Oh, that's good." They walked up to the wagon and saw the driver stick his head out of the opening.

"Are we good now? Is it safe to continue on?" Minato nodded and the man jumped out of the cart. "Thank Kami they didn't attack the horse. That would've been bad." Minato and Kakashi walked along the moving wagon until Kakashi broke the silence.

"How come Raijin can't reverse-summon himself when he's in danger? Pakkun told me that most summons do that to protect themselves." Minato looked at Kakashi.

"Raijin… isn't like most summons. And he's technically not a summon either. He's almost like the nin-ken from the Inuzuka clan." He said. Kakashi was still confused though.

"I don't understand. Raijin wasn't with us when I met Haruka."

"Remember how Haruka almost got kidnapped?" Minato asked. "Well, that trauma triggered something to summon him here. For some reason, that trigger won't let him go back. He didn't understand why he couldn't reverse-summon himself back. The only other thing Raijin would tell me is that he comes from a pack of wolves that have been with the Aotomi clan for decades."

"Oh. Wh-" Kakashi was interrupted by Haruka.

"Can you put me down Minato-sensei?" Minato placed her on the ground and she looked up.

"Did I-"

"HARUKA!" She flipped her head around and she saw Raijin shout out her name while being supported by Bull.

"R-Raijin?" She asked, her other question completely forgotten. She ran towards him and started to hug him. "Thank Kami, you're alive. I thought you were dead." Haruka said, her words muddled by Raijin's fur. Minato could hear the quiet sobbing that was coming from Haruka and the kind words Raijin was saying to comfort her. Kakashi walked towards Bull and thanked him, letting him return home (wherever that was).

"_Those two have such a strong bond. It's going to take them places they never thought possible._ _Especially with the strength they already possess."_ Minato thought to himself.

* * *

Haruka's P.O.V.

After three days of flinching at any unusual sounds, me being an emotional mess, and healing our somewhat damaged bodies, we were finally home! Apparently, our wagon had an important document hidden inside all the food, which caused the Iwa-nin to attack and… yeah.

"Haruka, are you sure you're okay?" Minato asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I needed to get it over with anyways right? It was inevitable." I said. Minato looked at me quite oddly. There's nothing else to it, this is the life of a Shinobi. They're expected to kill for their village. But saying it out loud doesn't really help. I've been having nightmares for the last three days about that man, the one I had killed. Raijin was there for me when I woke up; thank Kami, but what's going to happen when he isn't here? I would see his dead body in my dreams, scaring me awake.

"Haruka, let's go back home." Kakashi said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Y-Yeah. Okay. Let's go home." We waved goodbye to Minato, who was heading towards the mission desk to tell them about the mission and ask if the rank would be raised. While we were walking back towards the house, I felt uncomfortable because of the stares I was getting from passing Shinobi.

"Scarecrow, why are they looking at me like that?" I asked him.

"I don't know. Do you think your mom… failed her mission?" He asked me. I knew what he meant though. He was really asking me if she did the same thing Sakumo did on his final mission.

"I don't know. I just want to go home and curl up in my bed and fall asleep."

"Don't forget taking a shower. You stink." I playfully bump into his shoulder.

"Like you don't either. We all stink, it'll be better if we could go to the hot spring."

"Why don't we?" I looked at him in surprise. He usually says no to the hot spring idea. I have no idea why too.

"Okay, let's go after putting our stuff back home." I said to him. I stretched my arms above my head and realized how sore I was. We turned the corner and reached the house.

"Mama! We're back from the mission!" I entered the house, but no one was there. "Huh, that's weird. She said she'd be back within the week." I shrugged my shoulders and place my bag on the ground and walked toward the bathroom to clean myself up a bit. Right after I closed the door, I sensed someone I didn't know in front of the door. "Scarecrow, answer the door!"

"Why don't you?"

"I'm in the bathroom, that's why!" I shouted to him. I heard the scraping of his chair moving and the sound of the door opening. I looked at myself in the mirror and realized how pale I was. I started to touch the dark eye bags that were formed under my eyes when I sensed Kakashi standing in front of the bathroom door. His chakra was so… tense. I opened it to find Kakashi looking at me with sorrow in his eyes. "What's wrong Scarecrow?" He didn't reply to me for a few seconds. "Kakashi?"

"…I'm sorry Haruka, but your mom…" I froze, paling.

"What about her Kakashi?" He couldn't look at me and just looked at the ground.

"…She's at the hospital in a coma. She may not wake up and the medics can't figure out why. " I stood there in shock.

"No, no no no!" I clutch Kakashi's shoulders.

"I'm sorry." I sob left my throat, causing Raijin to walk into the hallway.

"Pup, is everything okay?" After hearing him ask, I just… broke down. My sobs wouldn't stop and the next thing I knew, I was being held by Kakashi and Raijin was standing next to me.

"W-why? Why Kakashi? Why?" I asked. Fate had to take my mother away from me too? Why?

* * *

**A/N:** _Well, this was a __**very**__ long chapter, over 6000 words. Phew. But this ends Haruka's innocent childhood and the transition into the strong kunoichi she'll become! Of course, there's help from the annoying teammate and a sadistic teacher. Can't forget about the scary canine companion too… I introduced Kushina too! Hehe._

_ Anyways, starting next chapter is when all the fun happens *rubs hands together and cackles.* Nothing bad really happens besides the __**actual**__ beginning __of the Naruto story plot line.*wink wink* If you think about it enough you'll understand if you don't get it. _

_So how was the fight scene? I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I personally think it sucks compared to those other Fanfiction stories that I so dearly love xD But I tried my best and that's all that matters! I don't know if I can promise another 6000 word chapter for a while, but I'll try my best to make my other chapters long :) Don't forget to __**leave a review **__and a __**follow**__! I seriously need to know how I did on the fight scenes because let's face it, Haruka's gonna be in a lot more fights and I want to be able to write a good action scene instead of a super crappy ones that no one wants to read. Until next time, drink some pop (soda), pet a dog, and eat a bag of chips! I know they're not healthy but those are my guilty pleasures... Don't judge me._


	10. New Teammates

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

"_Italics with quotation": _Thoughts

_Italics only: _Dream/Memory

* * *

"**I used to recognize myself**

**It's funny how reflections change**

**When we're becoming something else**

**I think it's time to walk away"**

_-Let It Go_ by James Bay

* * *

Kakashi P.O.V

Haruka and Kakashi stood in front of the Hokage's desk holding their newly received Chunin vest.

"I congratulate you once again for your promotion to Chunin. Such an amazing feat for someone your age."

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Both of them said.

"May I please be excused? I need to be somewhere soon and I would prefer not to be late." Haruka asked politely.

"Of course you may."

"Thank you." The moment she walked out the door, Kakashi turned toward the Hokage and looked at him.

"Hokage-sama, I know this is not my place, but Haruka needs help!" He said, panicked. The Hokage looked at him, and Kakashi noticed the sorrow in his eyes.

"I know Kakashi. I see the way she looks at people and things now. It has absolutely no emotion."

"We still live in the same house, but it's like she lost her ability to show emotion. She only speaks when she's spoken to or when she absolutely has too. It's driving me crazy! Even Minato-sensei is worried." Kakashi said.

"I know. I believe she just needs time."

"…I know, but I just want her to understand that there are people who care about her."

"I wish I could talk to you more about this but I have an important meeting to go too. "

Kakashi bowed and thanked the Hokage. He walked out the building and walked towards Minato's house.

"_She needs time… all she needs is time. She'll be fine by next week. Right?_"

* * *

_**6 Years later**_

Kakashi opened his eyes to see the sun shining through the blinds in his room. He groaned and was about to put his head under his pillow when he heard a muffled scream from Haruka's room.

"_Not again." _He sighed and when he stood up, he heard Raijin trying to wake her up. He walked toward his dresser only to hear Haruka crying. _"Damn, I wish she would talk to me. Doesn't she know it doesn't help to keep things to herself?" _He put on his usual outfit, his mask, and hitai-ite. He walked out of his bedroom and looked at Haruka's door, debating whether or not to ask her if she was okay. _"You idiot, what are you thinking?_ _As if she would tell you. Remem__ber what happened last time you asked?__" _Shaking his head, he continued down the hallway until he reached the stairs, stopping. Taking one last look at her door, he went down the stairs and walked toward the kitchen to prepare breakfast. As soon as he opened the fridge, he heard Haruka walking down the stairs.

"Haruka, what do you want to eat?" He asked, acting like he didn't hear her crying just five minutes ago. He turned around to see her in her usual outfit consisting of black shorts and a black tank top with a mesh shirt underneath while her hitai-ite was tied around her forehead, keeping her hair out of her face.

"I'll have an apple if you don't mind. We have to meet Sensei at the training field in a few minutes anyways."

"Oh, I forgot. Thanks for reminding me."

"That's not very good. You should always remember, rule-"

"Haruka, you don't have to tell me. Here are your apples." He stood up with an apple in one hand and two in another.

"I'm just saying." She said.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. I'll meet you there okay?" She shrugged while taking the apples from Kakashi and walked toward Raijin, who was standing outside of the room because he couldn't fit through the doorframe anymore, unlike five years ago when he could. Kakashi shunshined out of the kitchen to the front of the house, prepared to walk to the training field.

"_God, she's gotten worse lately." _While walking he was interrupted several times by Gai who was spouting some nonsense about youthfulness and springtime. By the time he got to the training ground, Haruka and Raijin were already there.

"Well, seems like you beat me here." He said jokingly. She just stared at him with her usual dead-like eyes, unnerving him. He looked at Raijin who was staring at him too, but shaking his head, telling Kakashi to give up. Sighing, he turned around and sat down on the ground while Haruka practiced sparing against the tree. After a few minutes, Minato suddenly arrived, standing in front of them with his hands on his waist.

"My beautiful students, I have wonderful news today." Kakashi looked at him while Haruka continued her sparring. "The academy students have graduated!"

"So?" He said. He turned around and noticed Haruka stopped h and was ad stopped and was paying attention at what their sensei was saying.

"That means we're getting a team!"

"But we're already a team Sensei, I don't get why we have to bother getting another one." Kakashi said, crossing his arms. Especially since it's people their age.

"I'm guessing that it means we're getting the graduates?" Haruka said.

"Yup! We're special because there was an uneven amount of kids graduating which means, we're going to get _two_ new people! Isn't this just exciting?" Kakashi groaned and then he realized,

"Wait, doesn't that mean its kids that we would've graduated with?"

"Yup."

"Wait, we're getting more runts?" Raijin asked, but everyone ignored him, causing him to grumble about biting someone's butt.

"Damn it! Please don't tell me Obito is graduating and going on this team!"

"Sorry Kakashi, but he is and he's going to be on this team with Rin Nohara." Kakashi face palmed himself while Haruka just stared at Minato.

"When are they supposed to come here?" She asked.

"Well, I'm supposed to go meet them about now. And you guys are coming with me whether you like it or not."

"Oh. What about Raijin?" Minato turned toward Raijin.

"Well, this is all we're doing today so you can go where ever I guess. Maybe back to your guys house?"

"Alright, I'll be going home to sleep. Is that okay?" Raijin asked. The 125 kg wolf stood up stretching, almost reaching Minato's shoulder. Haruka nodded her head and Raijin started walking out of the field.

"Well, let's go my students!" He said grabbing them by their shoulders. With a flash, they were teleported to the front of the academy by his Hiraishin. "Get ready guys, you're gonna get a proper team in less than five minutes!" He walked through the doors dramatically with Kakashi and Haruka following him. They soon reached the doors that was connected to the room Obito and Rin were in. Kakashi knew he didn't want new people in the little team they already had, especially _those_ two. Out of all of the graduating class, the Hokage just had to choose the two he absolutely despised. Minato-sensei opened the door and they walked into the room. He looked at the two sitting students while smiling. "Team 7; we're going to meet at training ground 3 tomorrow at 12, so don't be late!" He smiled and flashed out of the room while Kakashi and Haruka were suddenly left alone in the room with Obito and Rin.

"Hi Kakashi-kun!" Rin said while waving to him, slightly blushing.

"Hey Haruka-chan! Wait, where's Raijin?" Haruka sighed and shunshined out of the room, ignoring Obito.

"Damn it, who the hell does she think is?" He suddenly yelled out, fists balled.

"Obito, I think you can calm down…" Rin was trying to calm him down when Kakashi soon followed Haruka's example and shunshined out of the room, leaving Obito and Rin alone once again.

* * *

When he reached the front door of his sensei's house, he heard Kushina and Minato arguing about him and Haruka. Again.

"Minato, how many times do I have to tell you? They _need_ to move in with us! They need someone to raise them, someone to love them! They're still children; they can't live on their own!"

"I know you want them too and I've asked dozens of times. Kakashi and Haruka have both said no. There is nothing else I can do."

"Try harder Minato, because it's almost too late for Haruka. I know why you wouldn't let me see the two, especially her. I've only seen them couple of times, but I've noticed the sudden change between the first time I met Haruka and now. I can see the darkness in her eyes. And if you're not careful, the same thing's going to happen to Kakashi. It's already happening, I've noticed! And you know what? It's going to be your fault. I don't plan on sitting back and watching this happen. You better do something about it, or _I_ will."

"Kushina-" Kakashi moved back from the door that suddenly slammed open because standing there now was a _very_ angry Kushina.

"Hello Kushina-" She looked at him with a smile that looked force with eyes that showed sadness and anger. She then walked away, letting Kakashi see Minato-sensei standing alone on the room slightly red from anger. "Uh, is this a bad time Sensei?" Minato-sensei ran his hands through his hair while sighing and looked at him.

"No it's not Kakashi. I'm pretty sure you just heard that argument." Guilty for eavesdropping, he looked down. He didn't mean too, he just ended up arriving at the wrong time.

"S-Sorry." Hearing his sensei sigh, he looked up to see Minato walking towards him.

"I'm guessing you're still going to say no to moving in with us too." Kakashi nodded, still guilty. "It's alright. What did you want?"

"Well, it's concerning Haruka." Minato's face suddenly darkened.

"Haruka?"

"Y-Yeah. Lately, I feel like she's gotten worse." Kakashi said. He saw Minato-sensei run his hands through his hair again. "She's literally screaming herself awake. I'm glad Raijin's there for her now, but what's going to happen if he suddenly dies or disappears? He won't be able to comfort her anymore and he's the only one that Haruka actually opens herself up too. She won't let me in no matter how hard I try! What do I do Sensei? I can't lose her, I just can't! Not after I lost my dad and Akiye-san." He said, breathing heavily._ "Get your emotions under check Kakashi."_ Taking a deep breath, he looked up and his sensei.

"I honestly don't know what _to_ do. Kushina thinks that you guys living with us is a good idea, but I don't think it would make any differences. I hope that by having at least two more people that act their age on our team would be good for you guys, not just her. No offense Kakashi, but let's face it. You guys don't act your age."

"True. I guess that would work too, especially for Haruka." Kakashi mumbled while looking down. He felt a hand on top of his head and he looked up again only to see Minato-sensei looking down at him with a genuine smile, unlike the one Kushina just gave him.

"Like you said to me all those years ago, a person can only hope Kakashi."

* * *

Haruka P.O.V

_Screaming, so much screaming. I walk around only to see the faces of fallen shinobi, faces in pain and mouths open in a silent scream. I run, there's blood everywhere on me, the blood of family, friends. I look down and suddenly see my mother in my arms, screaming in pain until she dies, her blood flowing all over me. I stand up only to see Kakashi standing behind me asking,_

"_Why did you ever befriend me? Why would you ever __**love**__ me? Why dI__**DN"T YOU SAVE ME**__?" He opens his arms and screams, only for me to see a gigantic hole where his heart should be. I scream and close my eyes, and I'm suddenly surrounded by warmth. I open my eyes and see Raijin standing over me._

"_Why didn't you run like I said?" He falls to the side; kunai's embedded in his body. I scream again and I'm transported to the middle of the battleground, only to see my father standing there laughing manically. He laughs while he __stabs my sensei in the chest, causing him to die__. He turns to me and stares at me, eyes wide while __I stare at him__._

"_You'll never be able to save them, my dear daughter. You'll die without ever accomplishing a single thing. You'll di__**e just like the rest of them!**__" Kneeling down while I cover my ears I scream and wait for the killing blow-_

"HARUKA, GET UP!" I sat up, my heart pounding in my chest. I looked at Raijin who was standing in front of me.

"Haruka, I need you to let go of the kunai." I looked down at my hands and I saw a kunai there. I let it go, my hands shaking while I hear the weapon fall to the ground.

"R-Raijin?" I said, my voice shaking. I touched my face and felt tears on my cheeks. "W-What happened?" I asked quietly.

"It's okay Pup. I'm here, there's no one else but us. Everyone's still alive. There's nothing to worry about." I placed my hands on my face and cry. I cry for all the lives I've took. I cry for the people I couldn't save. I cry for my mother. And I cry for… _me_.

"Pup, look at me." I still sat there, crying. "Haruka, look at me. Please." Giving in to Raijin's request, I looked up.

"It's okay. I'm serious. I'm fine. Kakashi's fine. Minato's fine. Everybody is fine." I nodded my head and slowly stood up. He walked toward me and I look up at him.

"I'm sorry. That was particularly a bad dream." I said while I petted his fur. I walked toward the dresser, Raijin leaving the room to give me some privacy to change. I looked at myself in the mirror. The white surrounding my irises from the crying and my skin was so pale, it was almost borderline unhealthy. I slammed my fist again the mirror. I looked at my reflection to see my six year old self standing there in the mirror, smiling just like I used to when I was happy.. "Damn it, what's wrong with you Haruka? You need to get yourself together." Shaking my head, the image disappeared, leaving me to see my 12 year old self once again. I grabbed a brush and started brushing my hair while I stared at myself.

"Today, I will meet the boy that will kill my teacher and his wife. Today, I will meet the girl that will forever haunt Kakashi's dream. Today, I will be the one to change that fate." I said to myself, over and over again. I changed into my casual wear and walked out the room to see Raijin sitting by my door.

"Let's go. I need to go to the hospital."

"You better hurry up Pup, Kakashi left pretty early in the morning. Apparently, he had to go talk to Minato about something. We have about an hour until we need to meet up at the field." I sighed and nodded my head.

"Alright. Come on, we don't have much time."

"What about breakfast? You haven't eaten." Raijin asked, concerned. I shook my head.

"I'm not hungry." I turned around, acting like I didn't see the unhappiness in Raijin's eyes. I knew he didn't like the way I acted anymore, but I didn't care. I would sacrifice anything_,_ and I mean _anything,_ if it protected him and the people that I loved. I regret it sometimes though, the way I act around them because whenever I act cold and heartless, they show concern because they _care_, and that's what makes me continue the way I act.. It's not like I want to act like this, I wish I could go back to the way it was before. But it's not that easy. The only option I found that would ease my pain is just by shutting off my emotions and following the rules. Following the rules make it easier too.

* * *

By the time we get to the hospital, I only have enough time to drop in and say hi. I opened the doors to the building and told Raijin to wait outside. While I walked towards the room, I could hear the whispers of the Medic-nins around me. I learned to ignore them though because nothing they ever say is the truth. All the rumors said about me are lies. I took a deep breath and walked into the room I was heading for. I looked at the woman laying in the bed.

"Hey mom. I just came in to say hi and to say that there's nothing different here. That nothing's changed." I said. But like usual, there was no response back. The only sounds in the room were her breathing and mine. "I don't really have enough time to say anything else, not like usual." I walked over to where she laid on the bed and brushed the hair from her face and told her that I loved her. I took one last look at her and walked out of the hospital room. After all, I only had enough time to say hi.

"Haruka-san, hi!" I looked up to see Rin already waiting at the training ground. I stared at her, and all the thoughts that went through my head were not , at all. I turned my head around and walked towards the tree that I would usually practice sparring against. I ignored all the questions that she directed toward me, which weren't a lot because she realized that I wasn't going to bother answering her questions. I don't like to talk, not anymore. It makes me get to know the person, which causes unnecessary bonds. And creating those bonds cause me to care about them. After a few minutes of silence between the two of us, Minato and Kakashi flashed into the training field. Kakashi looked annoyed about something while Minato-sensei just looked at us with his usual smile.

"Well, we're here on time but it seems like Obito isn't here yet…" Minato-sensei said. I, of course, continued to ignore what was happening around me. I needed to get stronger. I wasn't expecting Obito to get here anytime soon since I already knew what was going to happen today. So everybody sat down besides Minato and me. He was leaning against a tree while I was practicing my spars. Rin seemed to be bored and started pestering Raijin with questions about him, something he seemed to enjoy greatly.

"So Raijin-san, you're so big, especially compared to when I first saw you." Rin asked.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? That was almost seven years ago, everybody grows between seven years." Raijin said while his chest stuck out like he was proud of himself. Oh Kami.

"Yes that's true. If you don't mind me asking, how tall are you when you're standing on your four legs?" Raijin stood up and walked over to where Minato-sensei was standing. I looked from the corner of my eyes to see what he was doing.

"Well, I'm reach the bottom of your sensei's ears, which makes me around… I don't know, 170cm?" Rin nodded her head and seemed satisfied with his answer. I went back to my training, only for another 30 minutes to pass by until Minato-sensei suddenly walked up and looked at us.

"Why don't we introduce ourselves for now?" His right eye twitched, revealing how annoyed he was. "It seems like our… other member isn't going to come for a while."

"Minato-sensei, what are we supposed to say? Just our names or…?" Rin asked.

"Good question. Why not tell us your likes, dislikes, and dreams for the future?" He said while he clapped his hands together.

"Oh, okay." Rin sat down after he answered her question.

"Haruka-chan, why don't you start off?" I stopped my sparring and looked straight into my (future) teammate's eyes. I'm not going to bother telling Minato and Kakashi what I like and dislike because they already know. Well, they used to know, I think Raijin only knows those now.  
"I'm Aotomi Haruka and I'm not going to bother telling you my likes and dislikes because you have no need for them and don't deserve to know them." I say in the deadest voice I could muster. Minato-sensei seemed disappointment in that answer and looked like he wanted to say something. He looks at me a lot like that lately if I think about it. Doesn't make me feel good too. I walked back towards the tree and while I continued punching it and kicking it, I could hear Sensei apologizing for my behavior to Rin and introducing himself.

"Ignore them Haruka. You need to focus on what's in front of you." I whispered to myself. I started to attack the tree aggressively, thinking about my future and what's going to happen. With all this thinking and emotion that comes with it, it caused me to unconsciously send chakra into my arms and legs to strengthen them. After seeing the image of my mother dead, like in my dream, the last punch caused the tree to explode from the invading chakra. I looked at it in surprised and turned around only to see Minato about to say something. But Obito chose that exact moment to run into the field with his face red from running.

"You're late, Obito!" Kakashi declared.

"You're finally here… You must be Obito." Minato-sensei said while smiling. Huh, Rin didn't say anything-

"We've been waiting for you!" …Never mind.

"We've already introduced ourselves. You're the only one left." Sensei said. Minato turned his head around and gave me a look that basically said _y__ou better come here now_. I grudgingly walked over to where the other members of my newly formed team were standing. I watched Obito as he stared at us.

"I'm going to be the Hokage! My name's Uchiha Obito! And for my stone-" I quickly zoned out because come on, who wants to listen to him shout about being Hokage?

"-Minato. From today, I'll be your superior. I'm glad to meet you." I quickly started paying attention because if I remember correctly, isn't this when Sensei makes us take the teamwork exercise? Ugh, I really don't want to do it, it's a waste of time. "Alright guys, we're going to do a little practice between the five of us." He switched places with where Obito and started talking to us. "This practice will let me see the teamwork between the four of you guys."

"Teamwork?"

"Take these two bells away from me, and practice will be over for today." Minato said while holding up two bells. Simple right?"

"There's only two bells, which means…" Kakashi drifted off from his sentence.

"Exactly." Rin gasped and I stood next to her, probably looking bored half out of my mind.

"Huh, I don't get it! What does it mean?" Obito, being the clueless person he is, asked.

"One of us will be dropped from the team." Kakashi answered for him. Obito's eyes widened and he quickly looked at Sensei.

"What?!"

"Good observation." Minato-sensei basically looked like he did a sweat drop, like in the anime show.

"What about me?"

"Could you sit this one out Raijin? I want to see what's going to happen here." Minato said. Raijin nodded his head and lay down under a tree while closing his eyes. Damn it, I'm going to have to do this without Raijin? "Okay then… let's start guys!"

* * *

By the time practice ended, Kakashi and I were holding a bell in each of our hands while we were all breathing heavily (besides Minato-sensei) from the work we did.

"You all pass!" Minato-sensei said, but no one answered him of course; we were all too busy trying to catch our breaths! "This was really good. It seemed like you guys understood the concept of teamwork. Let's continue to strengthen it even more." He said while looking back towards us. He may have said it to all of us but I'm pretty sure he meant it more towards me and Kakashi, especially since he probably realized we were just using the other two instead of thinking of "teamwork". While Obito and Rin shouted an agreement, Kakashi and I just stood there breathing. I don't know what was going through his head but I sure know what I was thinking about. _Screw teamwork, I need to work on something to help protect all of us during Kannabi Bridge. The mission's probably about a year away, and that's not a lot of time. Fuck, what do I do?_

* * *

**A/N:**_So hey guys. I'm not so happy about how I ended this chapter, but I just couldn't figure out how to end it, you know? It probably sucks and it may or may not have confused some of you because of the sudden time-skip. But once again, I couldn't figure out what to write between those six years because nothing interesting happened. If it's confusing, please don't hesitate to ask as a review or as a PM :) _

_Anyhow, this chapter is very unedited and is probably crappy in general. I was planning on jumping straight into canon by going into Kannabi Bridge either next chapter or chapter 12, but I'm kind of hesitating because I wanted to know if anyone reading wanted me to add some sort of interlude. Is that what you would call it? Anyways, if you do, you better leave a review because if not, we're jumping straight into the actual story. So like I said; leave a __**review**__ so I know what to do next chapter! Don't forget to follow too :)_


	11. Minato Interlude

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

* * *

"_Italics with quotation": _Thoughts

_Italics only: _Dream/Memory

* * *

**A/N:** _So I decided to do a Minato Interlude! Haha it's going to be in third person because I'm too lazy to write in first person for this xD, but it'll start from the first time Minato came into the story. So basically, from chapter 6 all the way to the current chapter. So I hope you enjoy it :) This chapter reveals some background information about Akiye and the Aotomi clan. Hehe._

**Silly 60:** Thanks for noticing! I'm not going to reveal any spoilers for the future because I have like the GREATEST idea in the world for how Haruka snaps out of her weird behavior :D Hope you enjoy this chapter and continue to read this story! I thank you for this review; it made me the happiest person ever! :)

* * *

"**The sun is rising**

**The screams have gone**

**Too many have fallen**

**Few still stand tall**

**Is this the ending of what we've begun?**

**Will we remember what we've done wrong?"**

_-The Howling_ by Within Temptation

* * *

**Minato Interlude**

When the Hokage told him what had happened to one of his closest friends, Minato felt heartbroken. He never thought people would react like that towards Sakumo, just for something he did wrong on a mission. And at the same time, he was shocked that Sakumo took his own life and left his only son Kakashi, alone. He felt like he should be the one to take care of Kakashi, after all, it was the least he could do for his friend. When he asked the Hokage for to become Kakashi's guardian, he wasn't surprised to hear that Aotomi Akiye had asked too. He knew that Akiye and Sakumo were on the same team for years resulting in a friendship that lasted up until his death. But when the Hokage told him that Akiye was going to adopt Kakashi, a part of him was sort of relieved because he knew he was too young to watch a four year old boy. He may have felt guilty at the same time, but he knew this was the better choice for the boy.

Minato decided to stay close to the Aotomi family, for the sake of Kakashi. This was probably one of the best choices he ever made in his life because had he not chosen too, he would have never met Haruka. When he first met her, she was a four year old girl that seemed to really like him, a lot. So when he found out she was kidnapped a couple months after meeting her, he felt so much anger towards the kidnapper. He also felt pity for the idiot who risked facing Akiye. She was well known throughout the Shinobi Nations for being ruthless and showing no mercy, she was almost as well known as Sakumo. Minato knew her nickname was Konoha's white devil, but she wasn't proud of it.

After they managed to retrieve Haruka from her kidnapper, Minato was shocked again to see her being fiercely protected by a wolf the size of an average five year old in a hospital room. They didn't know how Raijin got there; the wolf himself was very confused. Haruka was discharged from the hospital and everything seemed normal to the normal eye. She was healthy, with a mild case of amnesia, but that was about it. She even had a nin-ken to protect her now. However, Minato knew something was troubling Akiye greatly. When he asked, Minato was told from Akiye that she was scared, something that greatly disturbed him. It all started the day Haruka was almost kidnapped. He managed to piece it all together and realized that the Aotomi was probably after Haruka. He knew that the Aotomi clan came from Iwagakure, and Akiye came up with the idea that they had found out about Haruka and wanted her for themselves. From what he found out was that Haruka would be the next clan head if it weren't for Hiro's desertion from Iwa. That was all Akiye would tell him and they never had that conversation again until the day Haruka graduated from the Academy.

The only reason why Akiye bothered to tell him about the rest of the Aotomi clan and their history was because she knew he was going to be her daughter's teacher. Akiye knew that Minato needed that information in order to be prepared, especially since Konoha was at war with Iwa in the Third Shinobi War. Gaining permission from Akiye, he was able to look at the scrolls her late-husband managed to take from his home. Minato had found out that the Aotomi clan was originally a large clan in Iwa, something similar to the Uchiha's in Konoha. But something had happened within the clan which caused it to lose most of its members, leaving only about a hundred people left alive. Aotomi Hiro was the son to the clan head when he left Iwa after meeting with Akiye and deserted. Something in the story of Hiro's desertion and the scrolls greatly disturbed Minato, but he couldn't put his finger on it. However, all of the Aotomi history and business was slowly pushed to the back of his mind because he was getting busier and busier because of the war. He didn't bother remembering this until the day they came back from the C-Rank mission that changed everything.

Months had passed since he became Haruka and Kakashi's teacher when Haruka made her first kill. His little team had already had their fair share of C-rank missions, and the mission he had taken was supposed to be a simple mission, something they always did. But someone had placed an important document unknown to him in the cart they were guarding, sabotaging the mission. However, he was angrier at the fact that he couldn't protect Haruka from her kill. But at the same time knew he couldn't protect his students from their first kills, but it didn't fully hit him until Haruka was shaking right next to the dead body she had just killed. After hearing what had happened from Haruka and Raijin, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She had thought Raijin was dead, that the enemy-nin had killed him. Minato knew that her first was something she would remember for the rest of her life, but only three days after Haruka killed, they came back to Konoha only to be shocked with the news that Akiye was in a coma because of a mission gone wrong. This immediately caused warning signs to flash in his head because he then remembered a conversation he had with Akiye the night before her mission.

* * *

"_Minato, I need to talk to you right now. It's really important." He looked up to see the 28 year old mother walking towards him. He stood up and noticed how tense Akiye seemed to be._

"_Is something wrong Akiye-san?" He asked. She shook her head and led him outside of the library while helping Minato collect his notes about Fuinjutsu._

"_It's about my next mission actually." He looked at her in confusion._

"_What about it?"_

"_I've told you about Haruka's father right?" Minato nodded his head. "Well, I'm quite sure that someone from his family is after Haruka."_

"_What does this have to do with your next mission?"_

"_Well, I can't give you the details about it, Hokage's orders, but I'll tell you that it definitely connects with the Aotomi clan and me."_

"_I'm sorry for all the questions I'm asking but I don't understand. How?" He asked, quite confused. Why would they go after her?_

"_I'm supposed to assassinate this one man because he's killing groups of people in a small town outside of Konoha. But this man has almost the same exact features as my late husband and the way he fights, it's reported to be just like the Aotomi clan fighting techniques." She suddenly stopped walking, almost causing Minato to run into her. "I'm afraid, Minato." She turns around and his eyes widen, there were tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid that I won't come back from this mission, that I'm going to leave Haruka alone without a mother. I'm afraid I'm going to leave Kakashi alone too." He stood there awkwardly, not sure what to say to Akiye. What was there to say?_

"_I'm sure you'll be fine. You're Konoha's White Demon, remember?" She laughs darkly at the nickname._

"_I might be, but this may be a mission I won't come back from. Something about it is just really off Minato." She turns around and continued walking. "If something happens to me, please watch out for those two. I love them so much. I know Kakashi isn't my son, but I love him as if I was his mother." She then handed Minato two letters with Haruka and Kakashi's name on it. Minato's eyes widen and he looked up from his hands to see Akiye looking at him. "I need you to give this to them when they become Jounin. If I do manage to come back alive, I'll come back and get them." He looked back down at his hands that contained the letters._

"_B-But Akiye-san, don't you think you're being paranoid…" He trailed off, noticing Akiye wasn't there anymore. He looked back down at the letters in his hands, feeling a headache forming. He didn't know, but this would be the last time he saw Akiye fully conscious._

* * *

After remembering the conversation he had with Akiye, that was when he started to worry greatly. But once again, this was pushed to the back of his mind because he had a bigger problem to face. Haruka was not acting like her old self, at all. He expected a slight change because of what happened on that mission, but he realized Haruka had done something he never expected her to do. She shut off her emotions to everything and everyone. This scared Minato because he felt as if he disappointed Akiye. He thought that Haruka was just going through a phase and that she would snap out of it soon. So he gave her space, letting her live with Kakashi and Raijin by themselves. He knew there would be some backlash against that idea; after all, it was just a seven year old boy and a six year old girl living alone in a house with no adult. They were still children, no matter what rank they carried with them. Telling his girlfriend is what scared him the most because he knew Kushina would get angry at his idea. He wasn't wrong either. The moment he told Kushina she told him that Haruka and Kakashi needed to live with them because they were only children. They argued for days until she finally agreed to let Minato ask. Only, he was shot down the moment he asked the two children.

* * *

_He walked into the training ground only to see Kakashi and Haruka fighting again._

"_I told you Kakashi, I'm fine. Quit bothering me." Haruka said to him._

"_You're not fine Haruka, it's quite obvious. You need help!" Minato sighed._

"_Guys, please stop arguing. I'm not having a good day and I don't feel like yelling." Minato said while rubbing his head. He just had a huge argument with Kushina about his students. He didn't want to have another one with Kakashi or Haruka. "I need to ask you guys something. And please answer honestly, because I don't feel like getting yelled at by Kushina." He heard Raijin snicker, but Minato chose to ignore it._

"_Well, what's the question Sensei?" Haruka asked in a monotone voice. This caused Minato's already bad mood to worsen._

"_Well, Kushina was wondering if you wanted to live with us until your mother gets better. Both of you guys."_

"_Of course not. I'm not going to live with you Sensei. Sorry." Haruka said. She then walked away, leaving Raijin to catch up to her. He shook his head and looked at Kakashi._

"_Sorry Sensei, but someone needs to watch out for her." Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and ran after Haruka. Minato sighed again and noticed the tension between his two students. It saddened him because they had such a great concept of teamwork between them but it was not ruined because of everything that had happened in the week._

"_Why me?" He whispered to himself. He grudgingly walked home, already knowing he was going to be yelled at by his girlfriend._

* * *

Minato rubbed his head, feeling another headache forming.

"_Thinking about something from six years ago isn't going to help you." _He thought to himself. He closed his journal and sealed it into a sealing scroll he brought along with him on the mission. He looked around and noticed everybody was sleeping besides him and Raijin. The wolf noticed Minato looking at him and walked over.

"Raijin, I'm worried that Haruka's getting worse." Minato whispered to him while keeping watch.

"Yes, I agree. She barely opens up to me anymore. I don't know what to do." Raijin said to him while laying his head on his paws.

"I knew it. There's nothing I can do though. She shuts all of us off." Raijin opened his mouth to say something but Haruka started to move around, almost as if she was having a nightmare. He sighed and stood up, walking over to Haruka to calm her down. Minato also sighed. He didn't know how to help Haruka, the only way he could think of was waking her mother up, but no one knew how. Tsunade left the village because of what happened to her brother and lover. After he heard the rustling of leaves, he quickly turned around only to notice Obito waking up.

"Sensei, what's for breakfast?" Minato immediately put a smile to his face so he wouldn't worry his student.

"Why, I have five ration bars. Chose which one you want." He said while giving Obito the scroll with food.

_(30 minutes later…)_

"Now that everyone's awake, are we ready to leave?" Minato asked. Everybody nodded their head and started running up the trees that surrounded them. After jumping and running for a few minutes, Minato sensed a foreign chakra up ahead. He signaled his team, and they all slowed down. As they slowed down, he noticed the chakra running towards them even faster. But then it disappeared, alerting everybody in the team.

"Guys, stay in formation behind me." Minato said. Suddenly, six senbon came flying out of the trees around them, carefully aimed at each person and animal on the team. "Look out!" He shouted. Kakashi, Haruka, Raijin, and him managed to avoid being hit, but Obito and Rin were too late to notice. Raijin jumped after them, carefully grabbing each of the Genin in his mouth. Luckily they weren't dead, only unconscious. After making sure Rin and Obito were okay, he looked up to see Haruka and Kakashi both holding a kunai in their hands, looking everywhere for the enemy. After a few seconds of silence, a voice suddenly started talking.

"What do we have here? A Genin team from Konoha?" Minato noticed how Haruka paled. Looking closer, he saw that her hands were now shaking. Minato quickly turned his head around to see a man walking on a branch. This man stood about 180cm with black hair and brown eyes. There was an uncanny resemblance between the man and Minato's student and he quickly realized why.

"D-Dad?"

"Hello, my dear daughter."

* * *

**A/N:**_ So how was this? I will warn you, this chapter was not edited and I just didn't have the time because embarrassingly enough, I have to take the Terra Nova's this week because my school wanted all freshmen and sophomores to take it. I wouldn't have time to work on the next chapter and I felt like you guys should read this. Now, I have a huge question that NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED. Okay?_

_**IS IT TOO YOUNG FOR SOMEONE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER PERSON AROUND THE AGE OF 15 OR 16?**_

_I seriously **NEED** to know because it relates to this story and I NEED YOUR OPINION._

_Don't forget to __**review**__ your answer or anything about this chapter! Oh, can't forget to follow either!_

_**P.S.**__ I updated the first chapter. Nothing major, I just think it's better written than before :)_


	12. Family Reunion

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and its characters. It is respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own Haruka and her mother, which both are my OC's.

* * *

"**There's a time in everybody's life**

**When nothing's going right for you**

**Take a chance**

**Take a step out on the ledge**

**Take a good look down**

**And realize it's all for you"**

_-For the Night _by 12 Stones

* * *

**silly60:** I was like, "I need a plot for Haruka too" so I decided to have her dad be alive! Dun-dun-dunnn! xD And thank you for answering the question! :D It made me so happy. I hope you like this chapter!

**TamashinoSuzume:** Thank you so much for your review! It makes me happy knowing that you bothered to answer my question xD Anyways, here's the next update and I hope you like it!

**Amyb11:** Hehe here's the next chapter, just like promised :)

**ninja-of-twilight:** Yes, I totally agree :P Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Family Reunion**

"D-Dad?"

"Hello, my dear daughter." Shocked, my chakra stopped flowing to my legs and I lost my balance. I did a flip and landed on the ground safely. Soon after my awkward descent, everybody followed me, leaving Kakashi and Minato standing in front of my while my father stood in front of them. How was he still alive?

"What? W-Why?" I said, stumbling on my words. There was no response from my father. Since Kakashi and Minato were standing in front of me, I couldn't really see my father very well, but I noticed he was wearing an Iwagakure hitai-ite instead of a Konoha one. I took an uneasy step forward, but I was immediately pushed back by Minato-sensei.

"Stay behind me Haruka." I opened my mouth to say something, but Minato glared at me, causing me to stay quiet.

"Now, what kind of person are you to not let a girl see her father again?" My father asked sensei with a sarcastic tone.

"You're supposed to be d-dead. I remember seeing a shinobi telling me and my mother. He said he saw you die!" I said to him, my voice gradually getting louder and louder.

"What was his name…Takeshi right? He thought he saw me die, but in reality I just used a genjutsu to make it seem like I did." Father said while shrugging.

"Why?"

"Now that's the big question everyone wants answered." He said. My father looked at Minato and pointed. "Especially your sensei right here. He's the one that's been nosing around in my past and our clan. I don't appreciate that, not at all." He looked like he was going to say something, but someone else interrupted him.

"Hiro? What the hell?" I turned my head around and saw Raijin behind us looking at my father, Rin and Obito laying on the ground behind me..

"Raijin?" He said, shock in his voice. "Why are you with Haruka?"

"Why are you alive? I thought you were killed." A second passed until my father started talking again.

"Fuck, no wonder why I couldn't summon you or the pack. You guys are bonded to Haruka now, aren't you?" He said with annoyance in his voice. Raijin growled and his hackles rose. It was almost like he was treating my father like a threat. But my father shouldn't be one…right? "Damn, it was when I tried to take you wasn't it?" My father looked at me accusingly. He suddenly did a sign with his hands and a group of enemy-nin came out of the trees surrounding us. My father pointed to me.

"No one touch her, she's mine." Then, all hell broke loose.

I was standing about a meter away from my father while everybody in my team (besides Rin and Obito) fought against the enemy-nin. I wanted to go and help them, but my father wouldn't let me go. I stayed where I was with a kunai in my hand and my legs slightly bend in case I needed to run away from him.

"How do you know about me getting kidnapped?" I asked. I don't really remember much about that incident; apparently I had a mild case of amnesia.

"Well, I was the one who tried to take you, after all." My father said as he smiled at me. The person in front of me scared me. Is this man really my father? Is he really the man that loved me? Because right now, it sure didn't feel like it. Unexpectedly, tears formed in my eyes because of what I was thinking. The grip on my kunai slightly loosened. He noticed and seemed to want to say something, but I interrupted him.

"Was it you then? Are you the one that put my mother in a coma six years ago?" I asked, my voice getting higher and higher as I spoke. It caught the attention of Minato-Sensei, who was fighting only a few meters away from me.

"Your mother was getting close to the truth of my so-called death. It was her fault for getting caught up in my business." When he finished talking, I was shaking with anger. He dared to talk about my mother like that? The one woman who gave birth to his own daughter? If that was what he thought about her, then how does he think about me?

"You don't care about her then? Is that basically it?" I asked through clenched teeth. I saw him smirk at my tone; it seemed like he was enjoying this.

"Now, I never said that. But at the same time, she was stupid enough-" I clenched my fists, trying to contain the sudden impulse to punch him. Seeing this, my father burst out laughing. "It seems like you need to get those emotions under control, my dear daughter. Emotions like that won't do you any good in a war." He said. I felt my heart grow hard again. He was right; I was showing too much emotion right now, especially in front of Kakashi and Minato-Sensei. I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked straight at my father.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm here to see you, of course. I was wondering if you wouldn't like to come back with me." He said something that suspiciously sounded like a jutsu and I suddenly felt weak. My head was full of emotions that I had kept locked out for years and I almost started crying, my anger completely forgotten. I stubbornly shook my head. I knew something was off, but it didn't matter because my dad was alive! I felt giddy knowing that he wasn't dead anymore. But I almost walked toward him when he went down on his knees and opened his arms like he did when he came home from a mission. "I know you've missed me. Just come here." After hearing those words, I took a step forward, my body moving on its own. But I was suddenly yanked back by someone. I fell onto my butt and I saw Minato-Sensei standing in front of me. I stood up and tried to run past my Sensei.

"Haruka, stay behind me, he's the enemy!" He said to me. How was my father the enemy? He just wanted me back!

"No he's not, he just wants me. Let me go to him Sensei!" I said to him. I needed Sensei to understand that he wasn't the enemy!

"Haruka, snap out of it!"

"Snap out of what?" Sensei turned around and put his hands on the sides of my head. He suddenly pushed his chakra into me, breaking whatever hold my father had on me.

"Damn it, you just had to ruin it again, didn't you?" I looked at my father and realized… all those emotions and thoughts that were in my head were gone. He must've been using a jutsu!

"Did you seriously use a jutsu on me?" I shouted to him. Sensei looked back at me quickly and he seemed relieved.

"…Tch. It seems like you won't be coming with me today." I looked back and noticed that the enemy-nin was slowly being overwhelmed because of Kakashi, his summons, and Raijin. I looked back and saw that my father was staring right at me. "Until next time, dear daughter." He said. Turning around, he ran up the tree that stood behind him. I stood there as anger and shock went throughout my body. I didn't bother chasing after him because I knew that with my current state, I wouldn't be able to catch up to him.

"Haruka, are you okay?" Minato-Sensei asked, turning around to face me. I nodded my head numbly. I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder and because I was still in my "battle" mode, I turned my head quickly causing my long hair to hit Kakashi on his face.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

"It's fine. More importantly, are you okay?" My face hardened. Being asked "are you okay" doesn't really help, you know? Especially over and over again. It causes me to realize why I'm not fine while bringing up memories and conversations that I just don't feel like remembering.

"I'm fine, alright? I don't need you guys to keep asking if I'm alright! It's annoying!" I shouted at them. They stared at me in shock because of my outburst as I stormed off, leaving them behind me. As I neared Raijin, my steps got slower and slower until they fully stopped until I was standing right in front of him. I looked up and saw Raijin staring at me with worry, anger, and sadness; all those emotions from seeing my father.

"Pup, are you okay?" Hearing Raijin ask if I was okay was the last straw. I felt tears form in my eyes as I fell to the ground on my knees while holding my face, not caring who saw me cry. I just…broke.

"No… I-I'm not. I'm not okay." I said while shaking my head back and forth. There was snot running down my nose while tears streamed down my face when Raijin curled his body around mine while putting his head on my shoulder. But his head was too big, which left only about a quarter of it on my shoulder.

"It's okay Pup. I understand why you are acting like this." He whispered to me. I leaned my body against his, my head touching the side of his head.

"I-It's not okay. He's alive after all these years. I thought he was dead, I thought I was alone all this time." I said, crying louder. "That's a lie Pup." Still crying, I moved my hands away from my face and stared at him, sniffling at the same time….

"What?"

"What you said was not the truth." After I wiped my nose, he licked my cheek.

"You were never alone Haruka." I looked up in shock because Minato-Sensei said those words, not Raijin. As I quickly stood up while wiping my face, he put his hand on my head and looked at me. "I'm always there for you. Kakashi's always there for you. There's always someone there for you Haruka. You're never alone because many people love you. Why can't you see that?" Because of my emotional state, I started crying again. I ran towards him and put my arms around him, crying into his Chunnin vest. He hugged me back, causing my 150cm body to be engulfed by his 180cm body. "I'll never leave you Haruka. I promise. I'll always be here for you, okay?" He said to me.e

* * *

**A/N: **_OMG 51 FOLLOWERS AND 40 FAVORITES! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH :D I want to __do something special__, but I don't know what. Maybe a one-shot of like a possible future? Or maybe something else? I honestly don't know so __please tell me!_

_Anyways, how was this chapter? I know this was short but I realized that I wanted to end this chapter like this. Not to mention I felt like I owed to you guys for reviewing and following this story :) Your guy's answers helped a lot so thanks!_

_It may seem like Haruka's little shell is broken, but I'm gonna tell you guys that it hasn't. This incident just put a little crack into it, but that's about it. After meeting her dad, she was a little weak emotionally so it left her vulnerable to her onslaught of emotions :D She'll be back to her usual cold self by the next chapter :) Anyways leave a review and don't forget to follow! Until next time~_


	13. Prophesied Child

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I only own Haruka, Raijin, her mother, and the Aotomi clan, my OC's.

* * *

**Quick A/N: **_If you noticed, the cover for "In Time" has changed! I got permission from jbadgr from Tumblr to use one of her Kakashi caps for my cover! I'm so happy because her caps are AWESOME and I think she just made my story like a 100 times better XD_

* * *

**"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."**

-First Inaugural Address by Franklin D. Roosevelt

* * *

**LuckyBlackCat777: **Thank you! I have kept going and here's the next chapter to Haruka's story! :D Enjoy~

**Amyb11: **Kannabi Bridge is coming soon! Hehe Haruka needs to prepare for the big mission before anything can happen :) Also, thank you for following me :D That made me very _very_ happy xD

**silly60:** Thank you so much for your review! I wish I could tell you why Haruka's dad wants her, but that'll just spoil the story now wouldn't it? :P

**lillian uzumaki: **Thank you for your review! :P I realized how much interaction Haruka has with Team Minato, which is like NONE. I NEED TO FIX THAT. And I'm sorry but Obito and Haruka won't like each other like that in this story! Dx Sorry! But I hope you continue to enjoy this story because it'll get quite interesting, I'll guarantee :)

* * *

**Prophesized Child**

I shot up from my bed gasping, my hand covering my mouth to hold back a scream. After I looked around my room my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I sighed, all the tension leaving my body.

"Shit." I rubbed my eyes, trying to get rid of the images that I saw in my dream. After sitting at edge of my bed for a few seconds, I stood up and walked toward the mirror in my room. Grabbing a brush, I started brushing my hair. "Kami, what a mess." I said out loud to no one. My room seemed so much emptier without Raijin here, but he was at Minato-sensei's house talking about what my father meant by "bonded" when we met him months ago. Putting my brush down, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I rarely did that because whenever I did, I always saw my mother's face instead of mine. I was wearing my pajamas but while I was changing into my everyday clothes, I realized how much it had changed since that day I met my father. My outfit now consisted of black shorts and a t-shirt with the same color while I wore shinobi sandals that went half way to my knees. A kunai pouch with bandages is wrapped around my right thigh while I wore black fingerless gloves that were made of tough leather. My outfit was completed with my hair up in a high ponytail (my hair was still long, it reached the bottom of my butt) while my Konoha hitai-ite was wrapped around my forehead.

Ever since that dreadful mission, Raijin's been telling me that I've changed again. That I was showing even less emotion than before. I think he's just telling me bullshit because he doesn't like the way I act around other people. I tend to act "normal" around him, or so I thought. But these kinds of things don't concern me at the current moment because the mission to Kannabi Bridge could be happening anytime soon, which means I need to prepare ahead of time so Obito doesn't die and Kakashi doesn't lose an eye. I walked towards the kitchen while that thought crossed my mind until I saw someone in green spandex standing in the middle of the kitchen.

"…Uh" I blurt out smartly, completely out of character. The person in green spandex quickly turned around, a smile plastered on their face.

"You must be Haruka that I've heard my eternal rival speak so much about! He never mentioned what a beautiful lotus flower you are!" I looked behind him only to see Kakashi glaring at Gai. Wait a second; wasn't Gai supposed to become rivals with Kakashi _after_ the Chunin exams? "I am Maito Gai, oh youthful flower!" He then struck the nice guy pose like in the manga. I stood there staring at the two boys in the kitchen. After a few seconds of silence, I started talking.

"I'm Aotomi Haruka. And please don't call me youthful flower." I told Gai straight up.

"Alright, beautiful maiden!"

"Don't call me that either. Just call me Haruka." He gave me a thumbs up and turned back towards Kakashi while talking saying something about challenges. I grabbed an apple and shunshined towards the usual training ground I go to with Raijin.

When I reached the training ground, I was the only one there. Raijin said he would meet me here as soon as he could, but I knew he wasn't going to be able to for a while. I soon grew bored of just lazing around and I didn't want to go back to the house because of Kakashi and Gai. Having no one to train against, I decided to use the shadow clone jutsu and not one second later, smoke was surrounding me from the sudden appearance of a clone

"Hi." My clone waved at me.

"I'm really bored. Train with me." I said.

"No problem Boss." The clone shrugged and suddenly attacked me out of nowhere. Hehe, this is going to be_ so_ much fun. I leaped back from her attack and avoided the leg sweep she did. I looked up and grinned, adrenaline pumping throughout my body.

"My turn."

* * *

Unbeknownst to Haruka, Uchiha Obito chose that exact day to go to the same training field as her.

"I need to get this jutsu down by today…" He said to himself while sucking on the ume flavored candy. He was having a great day today. He helped an old lady carry her groceries and got free candy from her (It was the expensive kind he couldn't afford to get). He even got to see Rin for a little bit at the hospital! Thinking about her, Obito's cheeks started to turn red. '_If only…' _ As he reached the field, he noticed that one of his teammates was already there. _"Of course she'll be here. All she ever does is train and this is the place she comes with Raijin. But he's not here, where is he?" _Obito thought. Disappointed he couldn't train like he planned, Obito turned around and was prepared to go home but his curiosity got the better of him and he hid behind the bushes that surround the area. "Whoa…" He said out loud to no one. While he watched Haruka spar with her clone, he realized how… _weak_ he was. It was quite embarrassing if he thought about it; he was nowhere near the skill level his Chunin teammate was at.

After staying in the same position for the last fifteen minutes, he got bored of watching and stood up to walk home, but he felt the chakra around her turn… weird. He narrowed his eyes and noticed how angry she looked while fighting her clone, something that troubled Obito. _"What's she thinking about that's making her so angry?"_ He thought. He saw her pull her arm back to punch the clone, which let Obito see Haruka's face. Her eyes were glowing and her canine teeth were pointed and looked sharper than usual… Obito fell backwards onto the ground when he heard her scream and punch her clone, causing it to pop. "What the…" He scrambled back onto his legs and looked at Haruka. Instead of standing, she was now kneeling on the ground and holding her head with her hands while screaming. He started running towards her, but he saw a flash of yellow and a wolf that ran right past him.

"Haruka!" Looking up at his sensei, he started talking.

"Minato-sensei, somethings wrong with Haruka-"

"I know. You need to go home Obito." Sensei said to him, his voice already revealing how wary he was about the current situation.

"But-"

"Go. I'm not asking again." Obito felt conflicted. He wanted to stay and help, but he was terrified of what was happening to his teammate. Minato watched as he saw his student nod his head and run out of the field. He didn't want to risk Obito getting hurt, not after what Raijin had said back at his house.

* * *

"_Well, I think you can reverse-summon back to your pack now." Minato said to Raijin while cleaning up his seal supplies._

"_Thank you Minato."_

"_No problem Raijin. I think you deserve this after all these years." Minato said to Raijin with a smile. There was silence between the two until Minato sat down in his chair._

"_Minato, there's something that I need to tell you. It involves Haruka, actually." Hearing his student's name made him curious._

"_What about her?"_

"_Well, it's more about the Aotomi clan and our contract with them." Minato's face darkened when he heard the name. He nodded his head and Raijin started talking._

"_You know I have a pack right? There are many spread throughout the Shinobi Nations so when someone signs a contract, it's not with all the wolves but with that certain pack only." Minato nodded his head, learning something new for once. "But out of all the packs, there is the Main Pack, the one that all packs listen too. It's basically the alpha pack. That is the pack the head of the Aotomi clan signed their contract with."_

"_And that's the pack your from, isn't it Raijin?" Minato asked, realizing from change in voice when Raijin mentioned the Main Pack._

"_Yes. Over time, other packs signed with the Aotomi clan members. But it was the custom to bond the clan head with a wolf within the Main Pack. This is when everything changed. You see, the Main Pack protects a wolf called the Seer."_

"_The Seer?"_

"_The Seer is comparable to the Ōgama Sennin, the Great Toad Sage, for the wolves. He is the one we wolves all listen to, no matter what pack we belong in. And at the exact moment the Aotomi Clan Head signed the contract with my Pack, the Seer saw a prophecy." Raijin took a deep breath and continued his story. "His prophecy stated that a human child born to the clan head would hold immense power, a power unknown to man. This child would change the outcome of the Shinobi Nations.":_

"_But-t that's impossible!" Minato shouted out._

"_It is supposed to be. However, the Seer's prophecies always come true, and this scared us. So after we heard the Prophecy, all the wolves, including all packs, agreed to never tell a living soul about it." Raijin said. Minato opened his mouth to ask a question but Raijin continued talking. "But my grandfather broke the rule by telling Aotomi Akihiro, the clan head at that time, this prophecy. However, they didn't notice that Ahikiro's son overheard all of this. His son was very a power-hungry and cruel man. So he killed the Aotomi members that would back his father up, which only left about a hundred people alive in his clan. He was in the process of overthrowing his father when he left the clan for an unknown reason." Raijin stopped talking and stared at the wall behind Minato. "…This was Aotomi Hiro." Raijin's face darkened from the name that came out of his mouth. "He was always nice to me, I don't know why. He was bonded to my father but always summoned me instead of him. But to think he would go this far…" Raijin trailed off._

"_You think that Haruka is the child from the prophecy, don't you?" Minato asked._

"…_Yes. I just have this gut feeling-" Raijin suddenly sprang up and growled, looking very alert._

"_What's wrong?"_

"_Somethings wrong with Haruka. I can feel it." Minato quickly stood up and walked toward Raijin._

"_I'll get us there quicker than running." When he finished his sentence, they disappeared with a yellow flash._

* * *

The moment Minato saw Obito disappear, he quickly ran towards Haruka and Raijin.

"I've never seen chakra like this before!" Raijin shouted out to Minato, who was standing a few meters away. Minato took a step forward but stopped and quickly turned around, eyes widening at what he was seeing.

"Kakashi, stay away! You can't be here right now!" Minato shouted towards him. However, Kakashi ignored his sensei and kept on running forward, towards Haruka.

"NON**ONONO!**" Haruka screamed. Kakashi kept pushing through the wind coming from Haruka. By the time Kakashi was close to Haruka, Minato and Raijin were behind him.

"Haruka, you're fine!_ We're_ fine! You need to stop this before you hurt someone!" Kakashi quickly shouted out. He saw Haruka grip her head with her hands while shaking her head while she was kneeling.

"**NONONO! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!**" Haruka screamed out. "**YOU LEFT ME****!**"

"Haruka, you need to control yourself! Please!" Kakashi pleaded with her. He was close enough to her to touch her, but he didn't know what to do.

"**Stay away!**" Ignoring the little warning that flashed through his head, he quickly put his arms around her. "**Don't touch me!**" Kakashi held on to Haruka, even though the chakra surrounding her was burning his body.

"Control this…think Haruka!" Kakashi shouted in her ear.

"**You left me…**" Kakashi's grip tightened. "You made a promise but left me!" Her voice started to quiet down.

"I promise I'll never leave." Haruka's sobs turned quieter and quieter until she sounded like she was back to normal. Her arms quickly went around Kakashi and she started crying into his shirt. He looked up and saw Minato and Raijin standing in front of them, their faces showing relief and… uneasiness. But Kakashi quickly looked down when he heard Haruka sob into his shirt.

"What's happening to me Kakashi?"

* * *

**A/N:** _SO SO SORRY FOR THIS BEING LATE! This chapter was so hard to write for some reason! Like, I knew what I wanted to happen, but transferring that to words was just… so hard! But I pulled through and wrote this! So, how was it? Enough suspense for you guys? I wasn't sure if this was kinda cheesy, Haruka being some prophesized child, but I was like, "Screw it. It sounds interesting!" But I hope you guys aren't confused! She isn't like Naruto (the prophesied child that saves the world). Her prophecy is only related to the Aotomi clan, in a way. She can change the Shinobi Nation's just by being there. Obviously, it's because she wasn't real in the original! But if it's just too confusing to you, leave a PM or a Review and I'll try to explain it as soon as possible :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter of In Time! Don't forget to leave a review and a follow/fav! :D Have a wonderful week! Until next time~_

**P.S.** _Also, Kakashi never left Haruka, but she just think he did. Her dreams are basically controlling what's happening to her right now. Oh, I also updated chapter 1-3. Like, BIG UPDATED. I like changed those chapters so much. It doesn't really matter if you reread them or not. Nothing that important happens. Just wanted to say that. BYE_


	14. Hospital Stay

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I only own Haruka, Raijin, her mother, and the Aotomi clan, my OC's.

* * *

**silly60:** Thank you for your last couple of reviews on the chapters :D It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside xD Something interesting is going to happen to Haruka soon… Hehe xD

**TamashinoSuzume:** Thank you for your review, so here's the next chapter :D

**DocAmburgey: **Oh my God thank you! I'm so happy to know that you love this story :D I hope you continue to enjoy this story and I hope you have a wonderful day xD

* * *

"**May your love never end**

**And if you need a friend**

**There's a seat here alongside me"**

_-Roads Untraveled_ by Linkin Park

* * *

**Hospital Stay**

Kakashi and Obito both stood next to the hospital bed Haruka currently laid on.

"What's wrong with her?" Obito asked Kakashi. Kakashi shook his head and placed his hand on top of hers.

"I don't know. Minato-sensei won't tell me anything. Raijin won't tell me anything. The nurses won't tell me anything. Nobody's telling me _anything_ and it's pissing me off!" Kakashi yelled out. Obito shrank back, unsure of what to do. A few seconds passed until Obito started talking again.

"You're not the only one who's mad about not knowing. I want to know what's wrong with her too. So does Rin." He whispered out. Letting go of Haruka's hand, Kakashi sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"You don't understand… She's family, whether I like it or not." He whispered to Obito, showing a rare case of emotions. Obito opened his mouth to comfort his teammate, but Rin opened the door to the room, her eyes obviously red from a night of crying.

"I-Is she okay?" Rin asked.

"I don't know. I think she's just chakra exhausted, but I'm not so sure." Kakashi whispered out. Rin sighed and closed the door behind her, placing the flowers she brought into a vase. "I brought food for you guys." She said, handing Obito the bag that contained food and drinks.

"Thanks Rin!"

"I'm not hungry." Kakashi declared.

"I don't care if you're not hungry Kakashi-kun. You need to eat whether you like it or not. Minato-sensei told me that you haven't been home for the last few days. That probably means you haven't eaten much." Rin's face soften. "I understand you're worried, but do you honestly think Haruka-chan wants you to starve yourself?" Kakashi stared at Rin for a few seconds until he sighed.

"Fine." He stood up from his chair and stuck his hand in the bag that Obito was currently holding.

"Thank you. Now, let's eat!"

* * *

Minato ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"Minato, what are we going to do?" Raijin said, walking next to him.

"I honestly don't know. We could always seal off this power, but we'd have to know what's causing it." He said to Raijin. They were currently walking in a hallway towards Haruka's hospital room. "I could ask Kushina to help me. She knows a lot more about sealing than me, and I know quite a lot."

"Well, the only thing we can do now is wait for the Pup to wake up." Raijin said. Minato smiled when he sensed that Kakashi, Obito, and Rin were in Haruka's hospital room. He opened the door to her room and his eyes widened. Kakashi still sitting in the chair but his head was lying on the bed while holding Haruka's hand. On the side of the room, Obito and Rin were both sleeping next to each other against the wall. Minato smiled and closed the door carefully, not to wake up his students.

"We can come back later." He said to Raijin. Raijin nodded his head and started walking towards the third floor with Minato right behind him.

* * *

Kakashi quickly woke up and looked around, only to notice that Obito and Rin were still sleeping. Cursing himself for falling asleep, he looked at Haruka, who was still asleep.

"Please wake up." He whispered to her. He looked down at his arms, which were now bandaged from the incident a few days ago.

"_You left me! You made a promise but left me!" Haruka screamed at Kakashi._

Wincing at the memory, he gripped her hand harder and looked down, feeling tears form in his eyes.

"…Y-You're hurting my hand Scarecrow." He quickly looked up to see the red eyes of his friend looking at him. Kakashi remained silent while Haruka tried to move her body into a sitting position. When she winced, Kakashi quickly got out of his chair and gently pushed back down.

"You haven't called me that in years." Haruka smiled at him. "You're such an idiot. You need to be more careful next time."

"S-Sorry." She said, her voice cracking from not using it for the past five days. "Don't c-cry Kakashi." His eyes widened and he wiped away the tears that were forming in his eyes. Haruka looked over at where Obito and Rin were sleeping and her eyes widen. "They're h-here too?" She said, shock apparent in her voice.

"Yeah, why wouldn't they be? I wasn't the only one who was worried about you. Those two have been in and out of this room for the past few days."

"I've been so mean to them, so cold." Haruka said, her face showing guilt. "They have no reason to be here, yet they are because they're worried for me." She turned her head back and looked at the ceiling. "I've been such an ass toward you for the p-past few years Kakashi too. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She said. Kakashi's eyes widened when he saw that tears were falling from her eyes. His hand automatically moved to her face and wiped away her tears.

"Get some rest Haruka. You'll need it." He said to her. Haruka remained quiet and Kakashi realized she had fallen asleep again. However, she seemed more… relaxed, almost peaceful. Seeing this as a sign for hope, Kakashi smiled. He quietly walked out of the room so he could tell a nurse that Haruka was awake.

* * *

"Wait, what do you mean I can't leave?"

"It's as simple as that. You can't leave." I shook my head. There is no way I'm staying in this hospital for another day, no matter what Kakashi says.

"I don't care. I'm leaving and you can't stop me." I stood up from my bed, and with my quivering legs I took a step forward, only for my legs to give out on me the moment my foot was off the ground. Luckily, Obito was standing near me and quickly came to my rescue.

"That's why you idiot." I glared at Kakashi as I put my arm around Obito so he could help me back to my bed. After I got comfortable in my bed I turned my head toward Kakashi.

"So what happened to your arms?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your arms, idiot. You have them bandaged like a mummy." Kakashi looked at me weirdly.

"Do you… not remember?" It was my turn to look at him weirdly.

"…Why would I remember how you got hurt?" Kakashi looked like he wanted to say something, but Obito suddenly jumped in front of Kakashi and looked at me.

"Um… are you hungry Haruka?" I was kind of surprised by the sudden change in conversation, but I decided to go along with it.

"Sure. Can you get me something? I'll eat anything. This hospital food is _disgusting_." Obito nodded his head.

"Come on Kakashi, let's go get food!" Kakashi groaned.

"But I don't want to."

"Oh well, let's go!" Obito grabbed Kakashi's arm and dragged him out of the room. The moment they left the room, I pushed what little chakra I had into my ears.

"You remember what Minato-sensei said right?" I heard Obito's muffled voice.

"Yeah, but I expected her to remember-" Kakashi said.

"But he told us not to tell her anything. That it might cause her to-"

"I know. I won't mention anything anymore then."

"Okay. Well, let's go get food. I'm hungry." I stopped my chakra to my ears and leaned my head back to the wall. Kakashi expected me to remember something, but what?

* * *

I was currently in my hospital bed, bored out of my mind.

"Pup, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." I said to Raijin, who was currently sitting next to the bed.

"Are you sure?"

"For the last time, yes!" I sighed. "Actually, could you help me walk to my mother's room?" Raijin's gaze softened and he stood up.

"Alright, let's go." I sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed onto Raijin's fur. I struggled to stand up and I had to wrap my arms around Raijin's neck.

"Thanks." We progressed slowly. I could barely walk, so I basically had Raijin walk me. "Raijin, what happened during training?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you guys keep telling me that I have chakra exhaustion, but that's impossible." Raijin turned his head toward me. "I was only using taijutsu while I was training."

"I don't know then. All I know is that you were found passed out from chakra exhaustion."

"I know you're lying." He looked down at me.

"I'm not though."

"Yes you are! You smell weird." Raijin suddenly stopped walking and I almost fell down.

"You can smell that?"

"Yeah, it's so weird lately. For example, while I was brushing my teeth, I ran my tongue across them and I noticed how sharp my canine teeth were. I ended up cutting my tongue." I looked up at him. "What really happened Raijin? What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you. I promise, okay? I'll tell you everything when we get back from your mother's." I looked down, disappointed that I couldn't know now. "It's time you go and see her again, isn't it?" I nodded my head and we walked towards my mother's room.

"Hey, Raijin, how long has it been since I've been out?"

"Well, you were out cold for about five days. But when you woke up, you had to stay in bed for another five. You can count Pup, do the math."

"So… ten days."

"Yup."

"Damn, that's a long time."

"It sure is Pup."

* * *

By the time we finished walking up one flight of stairs, I was about ready to pass out.

"R-Raijin…"

"Are you okay Pup?" Raijin asked. I stood there panting while holding on to Raijin, trying not to fall.

"Do I look fine?" I managed to wheeze out between my panting.

"Pup, do you want to ride-"

"N-No. I need to get better." I coughed. "This is helping me." I started walking down the hallway that I was very familiar with while Raijin helped me. When we reached my mother's room and I opened the door, someone was already there.

"Hello Haruka." Raijin growled and moved in front of me.

"Dad?" My father smiled at me and then looked down at my mother.

"What the hell are you doing here Hiro?" Raijin growled out.

"I just wanted to see my wife." His hand hovered above her cheek.

"Don't touch her!" I shouted out, my voice slightly wavering. He sighed at looked over at where Raijin and I were standing.

"You don't have to worry that much Raijin. I'm not going to hurt Haruka. That's not the purpose of me being here." Anger flared up inside me and it caused me to growl. My father looked at me and smirked. "Oh my, you're growling?" My right hand quickly covered my mouth and my eyes widen from shock. "It seems like it's a new thing, isn't it?"

"N-No, it's not." I lied.

"Your reaction states otherwise." My father said to me, still smirking. I felt a sudden wave of fatigue come over me and my legs buckled under me, causing me to fall onto my knees. The only thing that kept me from face-planting to the floor were my hands that shot out in front of me to prevent hitting the ground, which also caused me to look at the floor.

"Haruka!" I struggled to open my eyes but when I looked up, I noticed that my father was holding something that looked suspiciously like a seal.

"You're the child, the one in that prophecy." He whispered out. Raijin growled and continued to stare at my father while trying to help me stand. "Huh, I guess that Uzumaki wasn't lying when he said that this seal would detect people with special chakra."

"Don't you dare-"

"You are such a nuisance Raijin." My father interrupted. He pulled something out of his kunai pouch and shot Raijin with a senbon.

"Raijin!" I shouted out. I tried to stand up, but without Raijin helping me I was failing miserably. Having no other choice, I started crawling towards his body that was on the floor. My father looked over at me and laughed, something that made me cringe while I crawled.

"Don't worry; I didn't kill your little pet. The only thing that was on that senbon was a sleeping drug." When I reached Raijin, I took out the senbon and flung it somewhere behind me. I felt like crying and that was something I did not want to do, especially in front of my father.

"W-What do you want with me?" I said as loud as I could. But then I remembered what he said not even five minutes ago. "Actually, what were you talking about, me being the child in the prophecy?"

"Oh? Raijin here hasn't told you?" I shook my head. "Your teacher too?" He opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly looked to the side, as if he heard something. "I wish I could stay here longer and tell you my dear daughter, but it seems that the Anbu have noticed my presence." My eyes widened.

"Wait, I need you to tell me-"

"Can't do that, now can I? I'll see you soon." My father smiled and shot a senbon at me. There was a sudden pain in my arm. Then, there was nothing.

* * *

"Hey idiot, wake up." I groaned and turned to my side, trying to avoid being poked again.

"Kakashi, don't poke Haruka. Also, calling someone an idiot isn't nice."

"But Sensei, she's awake."

"She's awake? Wait, Minato-sensei said not to poke her Kakashi!" I groaned again and pulled the blankets up to cover my face.

"Idiot, I said wake-" I opened my eyes and the memories of what happened flashed through my eyes. I quickly shot up from my covers and stared at the people around me.

"Where's Raijin?"

"I'm right here Pup, nothing to worry about." I looked around and saw him lying down on the floor. I pulled the covers off my body and tried to get out the bed to walk over to where he was, but my legs couldn't support my body and I fell backwards onto the bed.

"What the-" I groaned and pulled my pillow across my face. "Why can't I walk yet?" I grumbled into it.

"Please be careful Haruka-chan, you're still recovering." Rin said to me, worry etched on her face. "You were in a comatose state for another three days." I tried standing again, Obito decided to help me by grabbing my arm to make sure I didn't fall.

"Did you get taller?" I looked up and asked him. I don't remember him being taller than me, but I honestly wouldn't know. He blushed and rubbed his head sheepishly with his free hand.

"I don't know actually."

"Oh, okay." I pointed at where Raijin was. "Help me there. Uh…please?" I said, almost forgetting my manners. Raijin stood up on his legs to walk over to where I was but I waved my hand to tell him to stay there.

"Sure Haruka." I looked at his hand that wasn't occupied and I noticed that his hand was shaking.

"Are you okay Obito? Your hand is shaking." He quickly looked at me and his eyes widened.

"N-Nothing's wrong!"

"Are you sure-" I saw him look at Minato-sensei who was standing next to Raijin quietly. I decided to let the matter go and I saw the relief on Obito's face. It may have taken a while, but I finally managed to get to where Raijin was.

"Thanks Obito."

"No problem Haruka." He said to me with a smile as I got comfortable on the floor.

"Guys, why don't you go get Kushina?" Minato-sensei looked at me. "She's been wanting to see you Haruka." I looked at him in surprise. Kushina? She wanted to see me? He then looked at Kakashi. "That also means you Kakashi." I heard Kakashi groan, but it was quickly interrupted by Obito's cheering.

"Yes! Kushina-nee, here we come!" He dragged Kakashi out of the room while Rin quietly followed them. The moment they were out of earshot, I looked at Minato and Raijin.

"So, anything you want to tell me?"

"...Well, Kakashi became Jounin."

"What?!"

* * *

**A/N:**_ Hey guys! I'm pretty proud of this chapter and I don't know why, but I am. So have you guys noticed that Haruka kinda changed? She's a little nicer now (if you call it that). It's all because of her mental breakdown in the last chapter. She'll still be pretty cold, but better than before. Her breakdown made her realize that she really wasn't living her life. Hehe. The next chapter will continue from where the conversation between Haruka, Minato, and Raijin took place. Already got chapter 15 written out! xD_

_So my dear followers, I don't remember when, but when "In Time" reached 50 followers, I wanted to do something special like a one-shot! But none of you guys asked me to do anything *tears* Dx So I'm **asking** again (because I got more followers, yay!) Anything in particular you guys wanna see? A possible future between the characters? Au's? I'll take almost any suggestions! (I won't write lemons, I have no idea how to write them.) So please **tell me either by review or PM!** I'll be putting the stats of Haruka and Kakashi down below for anybody that's been confused about their ages :) That's about it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter :D Leave a review and don't forget to follow/fav! Until next time~_

* * *

Aotomi Haruka

**Family**

Aotomi Akiye:

Jounin, inactive.

Aotomi Hiro:

Jounin, nuke-nin, ties with Iwagakure.

**Birthday**

November 27

**Current** **Age**

13

**Rank**

Genin: Age5

Chunin: Age 6

**Height**

160cm (5ft 3in)

**Weight**

43kg (95lb)

Hatake Kakashi

**Family**

Hatake Sakumo:

Dead, cause of death: seppuku

Hatake Hanako:

Dead, cause of death: unknown

**Birthday**

September 15

**Current** **Age**

13

**Rank**

Genin: Age 5

Chunin: Age 6

Jounin: Age 13

**Current Height**

159cm (5ft 2.5in)

**Current Weight**

44kg (97lb)


	15. Promise

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I only own my OC's._

* * *

_**silly60: **__Kannabi Bridge is coming soon xD I could see why you thought she was grew like 10cm overnight, but that didn't happen. When she saw her dad she was 150cm, but when she had her breakdown, it was about 6 months after the meeting. She grew a lot during this time! I kinda based her on me because I hit my growth spurt when I was about 12 too :D Hope you enjoy this chapter!_

_**Duck (Guest): **__OMG Thank you! I'm giggling with happiness by your wonderful review! I'm happy that you think that this is a good story with good grammar. It makes me even happier to know that my pathetic excuse as a story cheers you up! :D You make me blush… (__) Well, here's the next chapter! :D_

_(You can skip this, just a little rant by me to someone)_

_Hi Len. If you do read this, then I thank you for your review. It motivates me to tell you that I love Haruka and that I don't care if you think she's weak and selfish. Because I will tell you this right now, __**she's not**__._

_You see, I've gotten a review similar to yours before. I know that the perspective changes can be confusing and it's not the correct way to write in the English Language. I've read enough books and I know enough grammar to know that. But if you __**bothered to read**__ my bio on my profile, you would know that English is not my strongest subject. __**At all**__. I was raised (mostly) by my Japanese mother because my father was in the military and gone a lot. My mother can barely speak English, so guess what I grew up with mostly? Yeah that's right, __**Japanese**__. Since I can speak and write both Japanese and English, I tend to get confused a lot while writing an essay or a story. Plus, this is my __**first**__ story. Every good author wasn't born a perfect writer; they all had to start off somewhere, no matter how good or bad they were. You shouldn't complain about this story because it's my story, not yours. I'll do what I want with the perspective, characters, and their characterization._

_You know what; at the end of the day I have 77 followers and 62 favorites to this story which puts a smile to my face every single time I realize that. So if you don't like this story and if you're going to complain about how Haruka isn't "likeable" or how she doesn't have "great characterization", then move your cute little cursor to the little red __**x**__ on the top right of the screen and press it. Tada! You have now left your browser and my story. __**Don't**__ come back._

* * *

"_**Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind."**_

Aristotle

* * *

**Promise**

"So Kakashi's a Jounin."

"Yup."

"Wow. That is something I would like to know." I looked at Minato-sensei. "There's something else that I would like to know too though." He fidgeted with his hands while he looked at Raijin.

"Just tell the girl, she's going to find out from her father if we don't say anything." I petted Raijin's coat while Minato sat down in the only chair that was in the room.

"Well, what did your father say to you exactly?"

"He said that I was the child of the prophecy."

"That's it?" Minato-sensei asked.

"That's all he told me. I want to know what prophecy my father was talking about and how I tie into it." I demanded. I didn't even bother asking since this is something that I deserve to know. Sensei sighed and ran his hands through his hair, something I noticed when he was nervous or stressed.

"Do you know about Raijin and his pack?" I nodded my head; I knew about it because Raijin told me when I was nine. "Well, there was a prophecy that a child born to the clan head of the Aotomi clan would have immense power and that child could change the "Shinobi Nations."

"…That's it?"

"Yeah, that's about it." I looked at Sensei. Then it finally clicked. Kakashi's bandages, Obito's hand shaking when he came near me. It all made sense now. I'm the child of the prophecy.

"What did I do Sensei? What happened two weeks ago?"

"…You went out of control while sparring with your clone. Raijin and I found you surrounded by a weird chakra. It…changed the way you looked and sounded, you looked feral. We ran to get you, but Kakashi came out of nowhere." He trailed off.

"What else happened Sense?" I asked him, my voice sounding desperate.

"Kakashi ran up to you before any of us could stop him. He wrapped his arms around you and that caused him to get severe burns. We saw him saying something to you and I don't know what it was, but it managed to calm you down. The next thing we knew, you were passed out in Kakashi's arms with almost no chakra." Minato-sensei stopped talking and looked at me, probably to see how I would react.

"…So I basically went berserk because of some prophecy which in turn caused me to hurt Kakashi while scaring Obito. That sums up what happened?" I started laughing, probably making Minato-sensei doubt my sanity.

"Pup…"

"Two people that I care about are probably so confused and scared of what's happening to me. They're probably too scared to come near me anymore because of what I did." I looked at Minato-sensei. "Isn't that just splendid?"

"Haruka-"

"I'm here-ttebane!" Someone interrupted. I looked up to only to see a certain redhead standing by the door while the rest of my team stood behind her with an annoyed look on their faces. "What happened? Did I interrupt something-ttebane?"

"Actually-"

"You didn't." I told her, effectively cutting off my sensei. "Uzumaki-san, could you help me back to my bed?"

"What's wrong with your legs?" She asked while walking towards me.

"I can't walk yet, sadly." When I reached my bed, I was panting softly. Damn, I need to get myself back together, I'm so weak! I looked at the people that occupied my hospital room. "I know you guys just came back, but I'm really tired and I want to sleep."

"Oh, okay! I guess we'll see you tomorrow then." Rin said to me. I smiled softly at her and turned my body towards the wall while I heard everybody leave my room. I laid my head on my pillow and closed my eyes, letting my thoughts put me to sleep.

* * *

As I woke up from a surprisingly dreamless sleep, I could sense somebody in the room.

"Hi Uzumaki-san." I said while turned my head towards her. The redhead smiled and sat down on edge of the bed.

"I've told you a bunch of times to call me Kushina-ttebane."

"Sorry, force of habit."

"Are you okay?" Kushina asked while looking at me.

"Well, I can't walk just yet-"

"Not physically Haruka." I looked at her eyes and noticed so much emotion in them; I saw so much love and care. Feeling my throat tighten up, I started playing with my hair to distract myself.

"…You know Kushina-san; the only reason why I started blocking people out was to protect them. I didn't want anybody to get hurt again, not like my mother." I took a shaky breath. "But look what happened, I ended up hurting those close to me instead." I closed my eyes.

"Haruka-chan, keeping people out isn't going to help you protect them." Kushina said. I opened my eyes and looked at night sky that I could see from my window.

"I think deep down, I know that. But after what Sensei told me about my father and my clan, I'm afraid that having that kind of commitment to people will hurt them instead." I looked back at Kushina. "I'm a monster that could go out of control anytime. I could hurt those close to me, just look at Kakashi." I whispered. Her eyes widened and she placed her hand on her stomach.

"You are most definitely not a monster-ttebane."

"The wounds on Kakashi's arms state otherwise." I muttered. Kushina rubbed her face and sighed.

"I know about the prophecy, Minato told me. Just because some wolf made a prophecy about you, it doesn't mean you have to let it control you-ttebane. It's your life; you need to live it the way you want to. Don't let something like that prevent you from having relationships." She dusted her pants and stood up. "You know, it's so much better being loved than the being alone or hated." She walked out the door and she turned her head toward me and said one last thing. "I would know-ttebane; I was afraid once too." She gave me a smile and left the room, leaving me to think over her words.

* * *

Kakashi

* * *

"I'm home." Kakashi said quietly as he walked into the empty house, his arms full of bags that contained groceries. He sighed and took his shoes off while making sure the bags didn't fall. When he walked into the kitchen to put all the stuff he bought away, he saw an envelope on top of the dining table. Placing the bags on the floor, he walked over to the table and grabbed the envelope while sitting down the chair closest to him. When he saw his name written on the letter, his eyes widened as he recognized the handwriting, a handwriting he hasn't seen in years. "Akiye-san..." Carefully opening the envelope, he took out the letter. Yellow with age, he carefully unfolded it and started reading.

* * *

_Dear Kakashi,_

_When I decided to write this letter to you, I never thought that I would cry while writing this. You see, I've known you most of your life, something you probably don't know. Did you know that I was holding you in my arms when you were only a few hours old? Your father was probably my bestest friend, something I will cherish even as he passed away. Please don't feel ashamed of having him as a father, he was the best. He did not kill himself; the people of this village killed a man that was innocent._

_Sakumo and I were on the same team for years, ironic isn't it? It's almost as if history is repeating itself. Our relationship was rocky from the start, but by the time we just became Jounin we had a relationship that couldn't be broken, something that I wish you and Haruka will have as you get older. You guys already do in a way. You may shake your head at that right now, but as you get older, you notice the little things like this because whenever I see you and Haruka together, it brings me happiness. The way Sakumo and I interacted was the exact same way you guys interact now. We argued together, we fought against each other, we laughed together. I regret not doing or saying more with Sakumo. He became my family, my brother; he became my rock as my family died. Hiro may have been my husband, but I will say this one thing. I loved Sakumo more than I did Hiro. But you see, I didn't write this letter to talk about your father or myself, I'm here to say something else._

_Congratulations on become Jounin Kakashi! In a perfect world, I would be there with you and Minato as you get promoted. Your father and mother would be there with us as you smile at your achievement, no matter what age you are right now. In a perfect world, there would be no pain, no anger, no misery. We wouldn't mourn the death of a loved one because they died of murder; we would mourn them because they died of old age or sickness. But this isn't a perfect world and we experience all of these daily. And with my death, you will again know the feeling of death of someone you know. I am sorry Kakashi, I am so sorry. I never planned to leave neither you nor Haruka so early. You see, this mission that I am about to go on is one that I don't think I will come back from. Because if I did come back, I would have taken back this letter from Minato and burned it to ashes._

_So please promise me one last thing Kakashi. Please protect my daughter. I know that with my death, it will break her. It will break that fragile little heart she has beating in her chest. She may have Raijin with her now, but what will happen when he is gone? That why I need you to promise me this one thing Kakashi because I fear for her safety. Emotionally and physically. Her father's clan wants something from her and I don't know what it is._

_Protect her Kakashi, please._

_Yours truly,_

_Tsuchiya Akiye_

* * *

Kakashi faintly brushed is hand over the faint tear stains on the paper while he tried to keep his own tears in.

"Tsuchiya?" Kakashi asked himself quietly.

"Tsuchiya was Akiye's real last name." Kakashi flipped his head around to look at the intruder, only to see Minato-Sensei leaning against the doorframe. He nodded at the letter in Kakashi's hand. "I see you've read the letter."

"…She knew that she wasn't coming back from that mission." Kakashi said while he looked down.

"Yes, she did. She gave me those letters the night before she left; she made me promise to give it to you when you become Jounin." Minato said. He was quickly shocked though because Kakashi quickly looked up and Minato saw tears in his eyes.

"Then why did she go Sensei?" That was when Minato looked away because he didn't have an answer to his student's question.

"I don't know Kakashi." Kakashi looked away, but he realized that Minato-Sensei had emphasized more than one letter.

"What did you mean when you said 'those letters'?"

"Akiye-san gave me two letters, one meant for you and the other meant for Haruka."

"Why don't you give it to her now then?"

"She's not a Jounin yet."

"Still…" Minato-sensei smiled at him. He took something out of his pocket and threw it at Kakashi.

"We got a mission to watch the gate as soon as Haruka's out of the hospital. Don't forget to tell Obito and Rin." Minato turned around and started walking out of the kitchen. "Don't tell Haruka about the letters, okay?"

"…Yes Sensei." But by the time Kakashi replied, Minato-sensei was long gone.

* * *

**A/N: **_This chapter is now finished and it hasn't been a week like usual! Yay! I felt so motivated to finish this chapter after getting a few reviews. Hehe. I don't really like the way it ended, but I couldn't really figure out how too. I didn't really want to go into the mini side mission that I had originally planned so boom, emotional chapter done. In the letter when Akiye said that she loved Sakumo more than Hiro, she didn't mean romantically. She just meant that in general, she loved Sakumo more than anything else. Hope that clears that up…_

_Come on guys! I'm willing to write a __**one-shot **__of anything that's based on this story! I __**need**you guys to tell me what you want! If you guys don't want one, __**tell me!**__ This story is at 77 followers, something that I never thought I would accomplish! xD_

_Have you guys noticed that I changed the way the P.O.V. changes now? I'm in the testing phase but I think I like this one the best._

_Don't forget to follow and leave a review! Until next time~_

_(Also, if you see some mistakes, I'm sorry! I'm not sure if I caught all the grammar mistakes or not!)_


	16. Side Mission

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and it's characters. It's respectfully owned by Kishimoto. I only own my OC's.

* * *

**native-x:** Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I hope you like this chapter :D

**Llyrica: **You're welcome! :) I hope you have a wonderful day :P

* * *

"**Friendship... is not something you learn in school. **

**But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship,**

**You really haven't learned anything."**

Muhammad Ali

* * *

**Side Mission**

I sat in the chair, watching civilians and shinobi alike leaving or entering the village. My head was currently resting on the hand that was under my chin, keeping my head from slamming onto the table. I yawned, causing my silver-haired teammate to yawn along with me.

"How long do we have to stay here Kakashi?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders and turned around to the other members of our team and asked them the same question. Since Obito was sleeping, Rin looked up at the only clock in the room we were trapped in.

"We have another 15 minutes until we can change out with Yamanaka-san and Hiyashi-san. Not that long." I groaned and turned my head towards Kakashi when I realized something.

"Wait, you guys were supposed to be up here for the last fifteen minutes. Can we get our break right now?"

"No, I want to sleep longer." Annoyed, I threw the only thing that was near my hand to Obito's head. Of course he was able to avoid it, but the pencil was now stuck in the wall where his head was at not even ten seconds ago.

"Watch it Haruka! That would've taken my head off if I didn't move!" He shouted at me, his eyes widened.

"Well you moved and that's all that matters. Besides, you were being annoying."

"Quit being so violent Pup."

"Yeah, listen to Raijin Haruka!" Obito turned his headed toward Raijin. "You saw what she did right?"

"Yes, I think everybody in this room saw what Haruka did to you." Obito groaned.

"I hate this mission! Why couldn't we have given it to someone else's team? We could've given it to Genma or Asuma!" A few minutes of silence went by, causing my eyes to close for a few minutes of sleep until Obito started complaining again.

"Great Kami, shut up Obito! My ears are hurting now because of your insistent whining!" Everybody's head flipped toward Kakashi. Well, seems like I'm awake now.

"What did you say Hatake?"

"You heard me, shut up!"

"Why don't you?" I tuned out my arguing teammates and started watching the gate again, since I have nothing better to do. We're leaving this place in a few minutes anyways.

"Maa maa, why don't we calm down and sit back down?" I could hear Rin trying to defuse the situation that those two were in, but I've known them for long enough to know that I this wouldn't end without one of them hitting the other.

"Aren't you cold Pup?" I looked at the only other living thing in this room that wasn't paying any attention to the fight.

"Nah, not really. I've come to realize that I have a higher body temperature than the usual person, even higher than a shinobi." I looked down at my shorts and rubbed my legs.

"It's December though." I shrugged. Raijin sighed, knowing that he lost the argument. "At least you're wearing a long sleeve under that jacket. I smiled at him.

"You know what, screw you Hatake!" I heard Kakashi hit Obito. Realizing that the situation was just going to get worse, I sighed and got off my lazy butt to intervene. Ugh, they were not this annoying a few months ago…Wait, were they?

"Will you two shut up?!" I snapped at them. Kakashi looked shocked, but it quickly wore off unlike Obito, who was looking at me with fear in one eye since the other was closed with pain. I flinched and looked at Rin, who was quietly thanking me. "Kami, you guys are so annoying! All you guys do is fight or argue! Do we need to tie you up together for a day to help you guys bond?"

"Oh, how kinky Haruka-chan." I turned around only to see Genma and Raido staring at our team. I blushed at what Genma said while Raido just laughed at me. "I didn't think you were into that kind of thing." My eyes widened at what Genma said and I blushed even harder, something that I didn't think possible.

"W-What? I didn't mean it like that-"

"Hello, my cute little students!" Minato-Sensei suddenly appeared and said with a smile, his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes he probably noticed the state of our team; Kakashi was standing, his hand clenched and Rin was kneeling next to Obito healing his eye while I was standing with my face red from Genma and Raido, who stood in front of the desk. "Uh… what happened?"

"Minato-Sensei, your student Haruka is into weird things. She wanted to tie up Kakashi and Obito-"

"I'm not into weird things!" I said, flustered. Great Kami, this is so embarrassing. I turned around from everybody and hid my face in Raijin's fur.

"Uh… thank you for that Genma. It seems my team is a little disorganized right now, so I'm going to have to deal with this."

"Alright. Bye Minato-Sensei."

"Bye Genma, Raido. Oh, don't forget to tell your sensei I said hi." Sensei said awkwardly. Genma nodded his head and walked away, probably to the mission's desk. Minato-Sensei turned around towards us and sighed.

"What did I say about violence? I specifically remember saying _no_ violence. What happened?" I lifted my head from Raijin's back and told sensei the story since Rin was still preoccupied with Obito's eye. By the time I finished telling Minato-Sensei what happened, Rin was done healing Obito. Now that he knew what the cause of the violence this time was, Sensei decided to slap both Kakashi and Obito on the back of their heads as part of their punishment. "You guys are so stupid, I told you _no_ fighting yet you do it anyways." Sensei started rubbing his forehead and shook his head. "What am I supposed to do with you two?"

"Uh Sensei? I hate to interrupt your thinking, but our time here is over. This mission's done." I said. Minato removed his hands from his face and looked at all of us, a weird gleam in his eyes. But I've known him long enough to know what that look he has means.

"Yes, _this_ mission is over. Let's go report it to the desk, shall we? And on the way out, why don't we ask what kind of D-ranks they have?"

* * *

"You know Scarecrow; I'm _this_ close to punching you in the face."

"Me too Hatake. You just had to hit me, didn't you?" I heard Obito quietly say, angrily. We were trying to keep quiet since our target was right in front of us.

"Maa, it's not entirely his fault."

"…Rin, he's the one who started that fight. Who else could it be to get Minato-Sensei's sadistic side out?"

"Still…"

"You guys can punch me, kick me, and tie me up in a tree or whatever later. But right now, we need to catch that devil called a cat." Kakashi whispered, interrupting our conversation. I inhaled and caught the faint smell of the cat that smelled like it was doused in… perfume?

"Does this lady really spray her cat with perfume?"

"Seems like it." I heard Kakashi say while shaking his head with pity.

"No wonder why this cat is always running away, the owner's a wierdo." Obito said to Rin.

"Let's just hurry up and catch that cat so we can all go home."

"What do you think we're doing?" Obito asked Kakashi.

"Oh shut up Obito."

"Why you-" Obito lost his balance and fell, rolling out of the bushes we were all hiding in, causing the cat to do a quick yelp and run off.

"Damn it Obito, now look at what you've done!" Kakashi yelled, standing up. I sighed and grabbed both of them by their ears and pulled, and I mean _pulled. _"Both of you knock it off! Kami, can you two not go without fighting for a few minutes?" I snapped at them. Removing my hands, Obito sulked off while rubbing his ears. Kakashi just stood their glared at me, also rubbing his ears. After a few minutes of silence, Rin started to talk.

"Um Kakashi, I was wondering if you had to the cat's scent so we could track it?" She asked.

"I do." Preparing to leave, I placed myself in-between Obito and Kakashi, just in case I needed to knock some sense into one of them again. I inhaled again and was able to catch the cat's smell.

"We'll split into two groups. I'll go with Obito and Kakashi with Rin." I said. Kakashi looked at me weirdly. "What? You and Obito together scream collateral damage. You think I want Sensei getting mad at us _again_?" When I looked next to me, I saw Rin blushing from the team arrangement which in-turned caused Obito to turn red in anger. I sighed. "Let's just go. And Kakashi, please stop glaring at me."

* * *

"You do know that everybody can hear you on the headsets right?"

"Wait, really?" Obito asked, causing me to smack myself from the sheer stupidity of his answer.

"_You're an idiot Obito. I just heard every single thing you said about me._"I looked besides me to see my partner's reaction to Kakashi's response.

"S-Shut up Hatake! If I was there-"

"_You'd be hiding behind Haruka, like usual._" I heard Kakashi say through the headset. I snickered, causing Obito to glare and me while Kakashi laughed.

"_Kakashi-kun, please don't laugh at Obito, it's only going to agitate him more._" I heard Rin say. I opened my mouth to say something, but I saw Tori running across the street.

"Guys, I see the cat!" I whispered into the headset. I looked at Obito and motioned with my hands to follow the cat.

"_Don't engage without us, just follow. We'll be right there._"

"Got it." I turned my head toward Obito. "Let's go." We slowly walked out of the alley we were in and started following the cat, waiting for Kakashi and Rin to meet up with us.

"Hey Haruka, don't you think we can catch the cat without them?"

"What?"

"We don't need Hatake." I narrowed my eyes at Obito.

"He's the leader; you _have_ to listen to him Obito."

"_Don't do anything stupid Obito; we're only a few minutes away._" I saw him smirk and I realizedthat he was going to do something stupid just to get on Kakashi's nerves. I reached out to grab him, but he evaded my hands and ran off.

"Damn it Obito!" I shouted. I ran after him, ignoring Kakashi who was currently screaming into the headset. I saw Obito chasing Tori through the streets, bumping into people and causing them to fall or drop their stuff. "Sorry!" I shouted at the man that was pushed to the ground by Obito. He glared at me while he stood up, mumbling about stupid Genin. When I caught up to Obito not even a few seconds later, he was holding the cat while getting scratched.

"You see…I caught the c-cat!" I heard him trying to say through the screeching Tori was making.

"Seems like you're struggling though." I said, amusement tinted in my voice.

"I-I'm not!" I saw him wince from a pretty nasty scratch Tori just gave him.

"Then you can explain to Kakashi _and_ Minato-Sensei why you didn't listen to Kakashi, who was Team Leader." Obito's eyes looked like saucers when he realized what he was going to have to do. Heh, good luck surviving Minato-Sensei.

"What?!" He shouted out. His grip on the cat loosened which let Tori wiggle out of his arms. My eyes widened and I fell forward, catching the cat.

That was how Kakashi and Rin found us. I was lying on the ground in front of Obito with Tori in my arms while Obito was mumbling 'No way, I'm going to die' while he looked at his hands. The cat was screeching and scratching at me even more than it was at Obito.

"This cat is going to be the death of us, I swear." I heard Kakashi mumble. I stood there frozen, while Tori was wiggling, scratching, and wailing in my arms.

"Somebody get this goddamn _thing_ away from me before I choke it to death!" I said, my voice gradually getting louder and louder. I can't stand cats and they can't stand me, obviously, we don't mix. Everybody just stood there, staring at me. "Now!" I saw Rin scramble to get the cat. Now that the cat was out of my arms, Rin was soothing Tori while I looked at the scratches that adorned both Obito and I.

"A-Are you okay Haruka?" I heard Obito ask. I turned around and punched him in the nose; satisfied by the feeling of his nose breaking under my fist. "What the hell was that for?!' He said, holding his nose.

"_That_ was for making me hold that godforsaken cat." I narrowed my eyes at him. "You should know that I absolutely _hate_ cats."

"Haruka-chan, you didn't have to break his nose!"

"Eh, I think the dobe deserved it." I heard Kakashi say. I started walking to the mission's desk, everybody following me. I could hear Rin fussing about Obito's nose while Kakashi just glared at the cat that was now in his arms.

When we reached the desk, Minato-Sensei was already there waiting for us.

"You know, when I sent you guys on this mission I thought I made it pretty clear, _no fighting._" I flinched under Sensei's glare. From the corner of my eye, I could see the current Daimyo's wife hugging the cat while it looked at us with sadness in its eyes. That demon of a cat deserves it so I felt no remorse catching it. I heard sensei sigh while the Hokage laughed at us.

"Well, what do you expect Minato? They're children." I heard the Hokage say.

"Of course Hokage-sama. We'll be taking our leave then." He led us out of the building before he said anything. "…What am I supposed to do with you guys?"

"Let us go without any punishment?" I heard Obito say, his voice back to normal since Rin healed his nose.

"Haha, very funny." Sensei stood there silently. "Actually, Rin can go."

"Are you sure Sensei? I don't think I should…"

"Of course you can Rin. We'll be seeing you tomorrow." I saw Rin look at us pitifully before she walked home. When we couldn't see her anymore, Sensei looked at us with a smile.

"Let's play a game, shall we?"

* * *

**A/N:**_ Hey guys! This chapter's mostly a filler that shows "bonding" time in Team Minato. I hope it was some-what funny! I can't help but think that Team Minato as like the carbon copy of Team 7 with Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura xD This chapter probably has some grammar errors but I just don't want to fix it. If you guys didn't notice, Tori is basically the Tora of their generation! I was like, "This is the perfect mission."_

_I'm watching 119 and 120 to prepare for Kannabi Bridge since I don't really remember much about it. So the next chapter marks… wait for it… Kannabi Bridge! Unless you guys want me to write about the Chunin Exams… Then I'd have to watch/reread Naruto for that. But I'll do it if you guys want me too! **So **_**_I need to know if you want me to skip over Chunin Exams or not!_**

_I'm still wanting to do something things for you guys, like a one shot, but none of you guys are answering! I'll wait until next chapter, but if theres no answer to my question, then I guess no one-shot! O just in case, please **leave a review or a pm if you want a one-shot!**_

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Until next time~_


	17. Kannabi Bridge - Part 1

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS, ONLY MY OC'S.

* * *

[WARNING: THIS STORY IS VERY UNEDITED. YOU MAY FIND SOME GRAMMAR MISTAKES AND THE AUTHOR (ME) APOLOGIZES IN ADVANCE. HOWEVER, PLEASE DO CONTINUE READING IT.]

* * *

"**Beyond this place of wrath and tears**

**Looms but the Horror of the shade,**

**And yet the menace of the years**

**Finds and shall find me unafraid.**

_Invictus_ by William Ernest Henley

* * *

**Kannabi Bridge - Part 1**

"Are you guys okay?" Rin asked all of us while we waited for Minato-Sensei to show up. I cringed and what happened yesterday.

"We nearly _died_!" Obito shouted out. I could see Kakashi's eye twitching. Hehe.

"And whose fault was it that started _everything_?" Kakashi asked. Obito raised his arms in surrender.

"It's not my fault, Haruka's the one who broke my nose, remember?" I could feel a permanent tic in my eye now. I glared at Raijin who was laughing at the whole ordeal.

"_Excuse_ _me?_"

"U-Uh, I didn't mean it like that!"

"Then how the hell did you mean it? It sure sounded like you were blaming me for everything." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I-It's just that-"

"That what? Please _enlighten_ me Obito." I said, crossing my arms. I could hear Kakashi snickering behind me at how cornered Obito was.

"Well, you _did_ break my nose." He said quietly.

"But who started everything?"

"…Me." I turned away, satisfied with the answer.

"Exactly. Better think about what you say before I break your nose again."

"My cute little students, what did I say about fighting?" We all turned towards our Sensei who just appeared in the field. "We don't want a repeat of what happened yesterday, do we?"

"N-No Minato-Sensei!" Obito shouted out, his face pale. Sensei smiled and handed us all a scroll.

"Well, I want you guys to be prepared for a new mission by Wednesday."

"But today's Monday Sensei. That only gives us two days to prepare." Kakashi stated.

"Yes, but I figured that you guys have enough experience with packing." Minato-Sensei shrugged. I unfurled the scroll and my face paled and what I was reading.

"Kannabi Bridge? Where's that Minato-Sensei?" I could hear Rin asking. I didn't comprehend anything Minato-Sensei was saying because right on the scroll in big letters stated that Raijin couldn't come with us.

I-I can't do this without him! How am I supposed to prevent Rin from being kidnapped, Kakashi from losing his eye, Obito dying? H-How am I supposed to do that alone? All this thinking caused me to drop my scroll.

"Haruka? Are you okay?" Minato-Sensei asked me, interrupting my thoughts. I forced a smile and picked up the scroll.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just shaken up to know that Raijin isn't coming with us."

"Wait, I'm not going with you Pup?" Raijin asked. I shook my head and showed him the scroll, thankful that it was out of my hands.

"I'm sorry Haruka. I tried to tell the Hokage that you would need Raijin with you, but he was pretty adamant that you go on this mission without him. Something about knowing you can fight without his help." Minato-Sensei said while he put his hand on my head.

"…Okay."

"Anyways, I figured I should let you guys go do whatever. I'll be seeing you guys on Wednesday." Minato-Sensei shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe earlier. Bye!" He waved goodbye and flashed out of the field.

Out of all the problems I thought we would face for this mission, I never thought Raijin wouldn't be able to come with us. I have to rethink my plan now. I groaned into my hands.

"Are you sure you'll be okay Haruka-chan?" Rin asked me.

"I'm fine. It's just that I feel so… naked without Raijin." I somewhat lied while I petted Raijin's head. She nodded her head and said good bye to us and left.

"I'm sure you'll be fine Haruka." Obito said. I flipped my head around and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Don't be late Obito. I swear to Kami, if you're late-"

"I won't be, I promise! I'll wake up extra early!" He said to me. "I have to go now, I'll be seeing you!" With that he ran off, leaving only Kakashi and I in the field.

"I guess I'll be seeing you back at home then." Kakashi said to me. He shushined off, leaving just Raijin and I alone.

"I need to train alone for a bit Raijin." I added. "Because you can't go."

"Oh, okay then. I guess I'll be at home if you need me." I waved good bye.

Well, the only thing left to do is practice. Oh shit, I need to get something for Kakashi getting promoted to Jounin…

* * *

_Kakashi_

* * *

He woke up to screaming. He sighed, realizing that he was woken up, _yet again_, by Haruka. He closed his eyes and prepared to go to sleep when his teammate knocked on his door. He quietly groaned, saddened that he had to leave his warm, comfortable bed.

"Yes?" Kakashi asked, his voice rough from sleep.

"…I can't sleep." Kakashi opened the door slightly more. "After a bad dream, I would sleep on the ground with Raijin surrounding me." Haruka said. Kakashi looked through half-lidded eyes and noticed how… worn out his teammate was.

"Okay…?" Haruka blushed, her whole face going red.

"I was wondering if I could sleep in your room with you." She asked. Kakashi's eyes widened and he started blushing. _'Thank Kami for this mask.'_ He thought to himself.

"Uh… where's Raijin?"

"I don't know, probably out hunting." Kakashi opened the door wider and let Haruka into his room. She stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Kakashi yawned and looked at the time. '_One in the morning?' _He shook his head.

"You're acting like we never had to share a room together." He said. Haruka blushed even harder, something Kakashi never thought possible. "Just sleep on the bed, I'll get like a pillow and blanket to sleep on the floor." When he turned to leave the room, he felt her grab his arm, stopping him.

"I-I can't sleep without someone with me." Haruka said quickly, her hair covering her face.

"…Fine. I'll go get another blanket; mine won't cover both of us." When he returned from the closet in the hallway, he was shocked to see Haruka already lying down on the bed asleep. Kakashi sighed.

"So much for needing someone with you to sleep." He quietly whispered to Haruka. He laid himself on the bed, making sure there was an appropriate amount of space between them. '_I'll never be able to fall asleep with her next to me like this.' _Kakashi thought to himself. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. He yawned and pulled the blankets up around him and Haruka. Despite believing that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep, within minutes he was.

* * *

"My my, isn't this a cute sight-ttebane?" Kakashi eyes fluttered open.

"Huh?" He said while yawning. He noticed how warm he was before noticing who the intruder was. Looking down, he saw that Haruka was hugging him in her sleep, her legs tangled with his. "What the-" Too afraid to move, he looked up to see a certain redhead staring at him with a smile on her face.

"Don't look at me; you're the one who got yourself into this predicament." Kushina shrugged. Kakashi sighed and started shaking Haruka awake.

"H-Hey, Haruka, wake up." Kakashi felt Haruka's grip tighten. He looked at Kushina, unsure of what to do. She sighed and shook her head.

"Hey Haruka, get your sorry ass out of bed-ttebane!" Kushina shouted out. Haruka suddenly opened her eyes and screamed. She jumped out of bed and ran to a corner in the room. After a few seconds of silence, she raised a shaky finger at Kakashi.

"_Don't-_" She continued, "-wake me up like that!" Haruka shouted to him. He held his hands up in surrender.

"It wasn't me. It was Kushina-san." Haruka flipped her head to the redhead. Kushina nodded her head.

"Your hair is so long-ttebane!" The two preteens looked at Kushina like she was stupid. "What-ttebane?"

"Kushina-neesan, your hair is longer than mine." Kakashi looked at Haruka's hair.

"...I just realized how long your hair is." Haruka face palmed herself.

"You're such an idiot Scarecrow." Kakashi glared at her.

"Well, now that you're awake-ttebane, I wanted to tell you guys that you're going to be late for your mission today!"

"Wait-"

"What time is it?"

"Five in the morning-ttebane."

"Kushina-san, we're meeting at the main gate at six."

"I know-ttebane."

"...Then why are you waking us up at five?" Haruka asked.

"Because I thought that I should make you guys breakfast!" Kushina said, putting her hands on her hips. "Now you two lovebirds get changed and come downstairs!" Kakashi blushed while Haruka paled. Amusing Kushina, she remembered when a certain blonde and a younger version of herself was told the same thing and ended with the same reaction. "And Haruka, don't wear those pants downstairs, Minato will have a fit-ttebane." Kushina walked out of the room, closing the door. "Oh before I forget, your little sleepover will be a secret between the three of us-ttebane, if not, Minato will have your head Kakashi." Smiling, she closed the door, leaving Kakashi and Haruka in the room.

"Uh…" Kakashi looked at Haruka and noticed the state of her clothes. Her shirt smelled awfully familiar… "Hey, that's my shirt!"

"I'mgoingtogogetchangedbye!" Haruka quickly shouted out and shushined out of his room into her own. '_This has been a _very_ interesting morning._' Kakashi thought to himself.

As he walked down the hallway, he could see Kushina making breakfast in the kitchen, and it brought back unwanted memories of Akiye-san.

"Kakashi, what are you doing standing there? Sit down-ttebane!" Shaking his head, he walked into the dining room and sat down at the table.

"Good morning Kakashi!" Minato said to him while looking at the newspaper that was in his hands.

"Uh... Good morning Minato-Sensei." After a few minutes of awkward silence, Haruka walked into the room with longer shorts on.

"Just in time Haruka-chan, I just finished cooking-ttebane." Haruka rubbed her eyes and yawned while she sat down into a chair.

Kushina was setting down plates when she asked Haruka where Raijin was.

"Do you guys know where Raijin-" She yawned. "-is?"

"Sorry Haruka, I don't know." Minato said, putting down his newspaper.

"That's weird…"

"Anyways, eat up! You don't have much time after all-ttebane!" After giving their thanks, everybody started eating. While Kakashi pulled down his mask (after placing a genjutsu that his mask was still on), he could see Haruka picking at her food, something that didn't go unnoticed by the other two Jounin in the room.

"Are you okay Haruka?" Minato asked, concerned.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine." She said with a forced smile. As she looked down, Kakashi also noticed that her hands were shaking. After a few minutes of silent eating, there was a sudden noise that came from Haruka.

"…I-I'm so sorry, I can't do this." She said, tears in her eyes. Haruka stood up and ran out of the room, her food left untouched.

"I'll go check on her; I'm already finished with my meal. Thank you for breakfast Kushina-san." Kakashi bowed to the two adults and left the room. After climbing up the stairs, he could hear crying coming from Haruka's room.

"Haruka, I'm coming in." He said, opening her door. Kakashi sat down next to her, his back leaning on the wall.

"I know she didn't mean anything by it." Haruka said to him, sniffling. "It's just that it reminded me so much of my mom, especially the last time I saw her."

"…It never gets easier Haruka; you just need to move on."

"I know." Relieved that his teammate was fine, Kakashi stood up and helped Haruka stand.

"Well, we need to get ready for the mission. It's an important one after all." He gave her a hug (something that shocked even Kakashi, he didn't know what came over him) and left her room to prepare for the upcoming mission.

* * *

_30 Minutes Later_

* * *

They were all standing at the main gate when Rin walked up to them.

"Good morning everybody!" She then turned to Kushina. "Hi Kushina-neesan!"

"Hi Rin-chan! How have you been?" As they talked, Kakashi leaned against the gate wall and watched his white haired teammate. He could tell how nervous Haruka was just by the way she was biting her bottom lip and standing. '_What is she so nervous about?_' He thought to himself. After standing there for about another thirty minutes, his Uchiha teammate finally showed up by landing right in front of Kakashi, literally.

"Did I make it?" He asked looking up at Kakashi.

"No, you're late." Kakashi looked down at his teammate. "What time did you think we were supposed to meet?"

"Obito, since you're an actual ninja now, you need to follow the rules." Haruka said to Obito.

"I left the house early, like I promised! But while I was coming here, an old lady carrying a bunch of bags asked me for directions…" Obito blinked. "Actually, something's in my eye."

"Yup, that's a lie." Kakashi said.

"That's enough Kakashi. Obito helped an old lady out, right?" Minato said with a smile.

"I even helped her carry her bags." Obito said while putting using eye drops.

"Minato-Sensei, don't you think you're being too soft?"

"Maa, just wait until we come back." Obito continued his eye drops while Kushina stood by laughing.

"Besides, it's impossible that some needy person appears every single time before a mission-"Kakashi said before being interrupted.

"There's a reason why rules exist Obito, you should follow them. Right Sensei?" Haruka asked while looking off in the distance.

"W-Well…" Minato said sheepishly while rubbing his head.

"All you ever talk about are rules this and rules that, it's so annoying!"

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning." Haruka walked over to where Obito sat and towered over him. "Besides, those rules that you seem to make stupid of can will your life Obito."

"Maa maa, it's a little too early in the morning for arguing, don't you think?" Rin interrupted.

"And you, you're way too soft on Obito." Haruka said. She sighed and walked off to the lone tree next to the wall.

"…She's just worried about Raijin; she hasn't seen him for the last three days. Don't mind her." Minato placed a smile on his face. "This is an important day for Kakashi! We'll be splitting into two different teams and Kakashi will be the leader of your group. His first proper mission as a Jounin."

"Wait, that means…"

"I'll be alone while you four are in a group." Minato clapped his hands. "We need to leave now. Come on guys!"

"Wait-ttebane!" Kushina shouted out. She ran up to each member and handed them a box. "This can be your lunch today. I made it this morning-ttebane." After giving the lunch box to the last member, she ran up to Minato and kissed him, something that seemed to shock the blonde. "Good luck-ttebane!"

"O-Okay then, let's go!" After waving goodbye to his wife, everybody walked out of the gate.

Little did Kushina know, this was the last time she would see Obito normal.

* * *

**A/N: **_I finally finished this chapter! My God was it hard. I had to watch those episodes about this mission and read the little manga book I have about it. After doing all of that, I decided that I'm splitting the story in three or four chapters, so I hope you don't leave! _

…_If I think about it, there's really nothing else to say._

_WAIT A MINUTE. THERE IS._

_I just published a __**new story**__ called "Looking into His Eyes!" on this account. It's a TobiramaxOc story! You should totally go and __**read the story**__. *wink* *wink* Just click my username and you'll see it listed on my stories!_

_Other than that, please leave a review and a fav/follow!_

_Until next time~_


	18. Kannabi Bridge - Part 2

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today"**

–Abraham Lincoln

* * *

**Kannabi Bridge – Part 2**

After traveling for a while, Minato called for a break. He could tell that his students were tiring out, something that wouldn't be good for the upcoming mission.

"We'll be camping here tonight if that's okay." He said to his team. "And besides, tomorrow's a big day for you guys, especially Kakashi."

"Huh, what was it again?" Obito asked, putting eye drops in his eyes.

"Kakashi's going to be leading the mission tomorrow because he's a Jounin, like me. We'll be splitting into two. Remember how I said it earlier?" Obito shook his head.

"I wasn't paying attention Sensei. Sorry." Minato opened his mouth to say something, but he decided against it because Haruka beat him to it. She smacked Obito upside his head, causing the boy to fall on his face.

"Ow Haruka, that really hurt!" He said, sitting back up. Haruka shrugged her shoulders and continued writing in the scroll she brought.

"That's what you get. You should pay attention more."

Once they finished eating dinner, Minato watched Rin say something to Haruka, causing the two to stand up. Realization lit up on Minato's face. They're about to give Kakashi their gifts!

"Kakashi-kun, congratulation's on becoming Jounin! I know this is a little late but I hope you'll forgive us." Rin said. She handed the boy a box. "It's an personalized special medkit that I hope will come in handy. I kind of changed some things up to make it easier to use." She said, blushing.

"Thanks." Kakashi said awkwardly. He turned toward Haruka, who was standing next to Rin holding out a box.

"It's nothing lifesaving like Rin's, but it'll keep you warm." Haruka said sheepishly. Kakashi accepted the box and opened it to pull out a dark green mask. "Once you activate it with your chakra, it warms up like a personal heater. And besides, you needed a different color besides blue and black." Kakashi glared at her. "What? It's better than pink isn't it?" She turned around. "I almost got you that color instead." She grumbled.

"Well, this is my gift. It's a special custom made kunai. It may be heavy and odd-shaped, but once you get used to it it's easy to use." Minato threw the kunai casually to Kakashi.

"Thank you Sensei." Kakashi turned toward Obito.

"W-What's up with that hand? I don't have anything to give to you."

"Well, I don't mind then. It probably would've been worthless. I don't need anything to weight me down." Kakashi said, shrugging his shoulders. Minato's eyes widened when he saw Haruka standing behind him. Haruka smacked Kakashi upside his head, causing the boy to quickly wrap his hands around the smacked area.

"You want to repeat that Kakashi?" Haruka said with a weird gleam in her eyes. Minato laughed, remembering a certain redhead.

"Nothing." He muttered.

"That's what I thought." Haruka crossed her arms, smirking.

"I don't understand how Kakashi became Jounin, especially acting like that." Obito interrupted.

"I don't want to be told that by you!" Kakashi snapped. Obito's eye started twitching.

"Once my Sharigan awakens, I'll surpass you, just you see! I'm an Uchiha after all!"

"But I thought the Uchiha were elites, so that means you shouldn't have to rely on something like that." Kakashi mocked.

"Let's all calm down now, it's supposed to be a good day after all!" Rin interrupted the two. Minato, secretly glad he didn't have to get involved, sighed.

"Come on guys; let's get the tents up for the night." Minato led Obito and Haruka an open area.

* * *

"Well, I'm going to go more in-depth with the mission since we're getting pretty close to the border." Minato pulled out a map from his pocket and spread it across a large rock. He pointed at a line on the map that showed where the Land of Stone invading into Kusagakure.

"This shows where they're invading. Our enemies are obviously Iwagakure and we've received word that there's about 1000 shinobi's that make up the front line." Haruka nodded her head.

"They've advanced a lot more than last time."

"Well, the Land of Fire shares borders with Kusagakure after all Haruka."

"I think we should've interfered sooner." Haruka said, getting a nod from Kakashi.

"But judging by the sheer size of invasion, they must have an efficient system for reinforcement, right Minato-Sensei?"

"Yes Rin. That why our mission is here." Minato pointed at a small line on the map. "Kannabi Bridge."

"A bridge… That means an infiltration mission." The blonde nodded his head.

"You mission is to infiltrate the enemy's rear territory. You guys will destroy the bridge, which is used to transport supplies and reinforcements." Minato looked at every single one of his students in the eye. "When this is done, you will withdraw _immediately._ Is that understood?"

"Yes Sensei." They all nodded.

"What about you?" Obito asked.

"I'll be facing the enemy directly on the battlefront. By doing this, I'm creating a diversion for you guys to complete your side of the mission." He looked at Kakashi. "In any case, Kakashi's your captain today. We'll be traveling together to the border, but after that… Well, you know what happens after that."

They were all walking through the forest, getting nearer and nearer to the border, when they all sensed a foreign chakra. The foreign-nin, an Iwagakure Shinobi, was annoyed that the Konoha team managed to find him. Sneaking a glance from the opening in the tree, he saw a certain blonde and paled.

'_No way, that can't be… I'll just continue watching the situation.' _The Iwa-nin said to himself and jumped away.

Minato placed his hand on the ground and tried to see how many enemy-nin's there were.

"There's only one- Wait, there's more." Closing his eyes, he could sense more. "There are twenty of them, be on guard. It's probably a kage-bunshin but doesn't hurt to be careful." Haruka and Kakashi inhaled, trying to catch the scent of the enemy. They both caught the same scent from the twenty people.

"You're right Sensei. It's a kage-bunshin." Haruka said quietly. Minato stood up, preparing to attack.

"Minato-sensei, there's this jutsu I want to try out-" Kakashi asked, but Minato quickly cut him off.

"Not this time Kakashi. For now, back me up." Kakashi opened his mouth to say something, but Haruka walked up behind him and whispered something in his ear. Grudgingly, he nodded his head. Minato took out his specially designed Kunai's and threw them across the forest.

"Be careful." And with that, he disappeared in a flash.

As team Kakashi stayed behind, they could hear the clangs of metal hitting another.

"Hey-" Haruka stopped halfway through her sentence and turned her head behind her. "Kakashi, two enemy-nin's are heading our way." Kakashi nodded his head and began going through handseals.

"Chidori!" Rin and Obito's eyes widened from the immense amount of lightning chakra that formed around Kakashi's hand. Haruka had already seen him trying to create the jutsu, but she knew that it was still in development. He wouldn't perfect the jutsu until he got the Sharigan from Obito, something she planned on preventing no matter how big the consequences.

"Kakashi, that jutsu isn't ready for use yet and you know it." Haruka said, placing a hand in front of him.

"I'll be fine, now let me go." Haruka stood her ground. "As your captain, I'm telling you to let me go."

"As your friend, I'm telling you that you're going to get hurt!"

"As a Jounin, I'm telling you _Chunin_, to let me go!" She didn't move. "Now." Haruka moved her hand down and took a step back, her eyes hidden from the shadow of her bangs. Kakashi already felt guilty for what he said and knew he would regret this decision later, but he pushed his guilt aside. He _had_ to do this jutsu, he just did. It was for him, it was for his father, it was for Akiye-san. It would protect the one's he loved. Kakashi ran forward, the lightning chakra surrounding his hand.

Although he was running too fast for the bunshin to protect itself, the second one, who happened to be the real person, was prepared.

"Don't get cocky brat!" The man shouted out and raised his arm, the gleam of a sword flashing. Kakashi didn't notice this though; his jutsu was causing him to move too fast. But Haruka saw this and stepped forward, her eyes wide with fear.

"Kakashi!" She screamed out, her eyes glowing. Her hand shot out as if she could stop it. She wouldn't make it in time, he was too far, and he was going to die right in front of her-

With a blink of an eye she saw Minato move Kakashi out of the way and relief flowed throughout her body. Minato had heard her scream for Kakashi. He jumped back from the clone and ran towards Rin, Kakashi in his arms.

"Kakashi-kun, thank god." Rin said, running towards the injured boy. Minato knew he marked the shinobi so he flashed away to kill the man, trusting his students to take care of themselves.

'_I barely survived that.' _The man took a deep breath._ 'Damn, where did he go-' _The Iwa-nin froze halfway through his thoughts. The forest was silent, but the man could hear the blood rushing to his head with every beat of his heart. He could feel the fear flowing in his body.

"Y-You're Konoha's yellow flash, aren't you?" He continued. "We're taught by our commanders to run on first sight from you." The Iwa-nin gulped, the blade of the kunai bumping against his Adam's apple. "Now I know why."

And with that, the battle ended.

* * *

"Kakashi's wound is pretty serious, we'll retreat and regroup." Minato said, walking up to his students.

"I'm alright Sensei." Kakashi quickly said. However, his façade was quickly over when he winced from Rin moving her hand down the wound.

"You're not alright, all because you didn't listen to Haruka. She _warned _you that your jutsu wouldn't be safe!" Obito shouted out to the silver-haired boy.

"I don't want to hear that from you, the so-called _Uchiha_ who was whining in fear earlier." Kakashi countered back.

"I-I just got some dust in my eye and teared up!"

"You know rule number 25? That says _no crying_."

"Guys… will you stop?" Rin said, trying to concentrate with her healing. Obito stepped forward, prepared to say something, when Minato walked up to them.

"That's enough, both of you!" He shouted out to the boys. It was rare that Minato would yell at them, so whenever he did, it meant he was _angry_. That's why Kakashi flinched, and it wasn't from the pain. "Kakashi, rules and regulations are indeed important. But that isn't everything. Didn't I teach you..?" He looked down at the boy. "There are times when the situation requires unplanned responses against the enemy." Kakashi looked away from his teacher, feeling slightly ashamed of himself because of his earlier outburst. "That's why I'm going to agree with Haruka and tell you to not use that jutsu anymore. The attack is fine, it's you. You can't keep up with the speed of your jutsu, leaving you susceptible to attacks from the enemy. It's an unperfected jutsu." Rin took a step back, her healing done. But Kakashi wasn't done being ridiculed yet.

Haruka walked up to him and stared at Kakashi in the eye. He could see so many things going through her eyes, anger, fear, relief. But Haruka startled Kakashi when she grabbed the front of his shirt and brought him to close to her face.

"What the _hell_ was that Kakashi? You could've _died_. You should be lucky that you left that fight with a cut like that!"

"Haruka-"

"Don't you dare interrupt me, I don't care if you're a Jounin and I'm a Chunin, I'm not done yet! Did you not care about us? Did you not care about what it would do to us if you died? Did you not care about what would've happened to _me _if you died?" Haruka suddenly let go of his shirt, causing Kakashi to fall. "You pulled rank on me when I was trying to protect you. I will _never_ forgive you for that. I don't care if this is borderline insubordination. I warned you that this jutsu wasn't ready." She didn't notice but her eyes were glowing again and her canine teeth were sharper and more elongated than usual, causing her team to slightly worry.

"Haruka, enough." Minato said to the girl, placing his hand on her shoulder. Haruka turned away and walked towards Obito. "Before we separate, I'm going to tell you guys one more thing." He looked at his students. "For a shinobi, the most important thing is teamwork.

* * *

_Later that night_

* * *

Minato stood watch as his students all slept.

"Sensei." Obito quietly said while climbing the large rock they deemed camp.

"What's wrong? The boy sat down next to the blonde.

"…I know that teamwork is important. But…" Obito looked back at his memories of Haruka and Kakashi criticizing him.

'_You need to follow the rules Obito!'_

'_Why aren't you ever here on time?'_

'_You're weak and you never listen!'_

'_Pay attention!'_

Obito closed his eyes.

"Those two… they're always criticizing me about how I lack discipline, make it seem like I'm stupid." He looked up at his teacher. "I mean, I know that I'm the black sheep of the Uchiha, one of the strongest clan's in Konoha." Obito looked at the sky. "Even I have to admit that those two are strong, that nothing fazes them…"

"Kakashi's the son of one of the strongest Shinobi Konoha's ever had, Hatake Sakumo, Konoha's white fang. Even the legendary names of the Sannin pale in comparison. Same with Haruka, her mother was known as Konoha's White Devil, TsuchiyaAkiye, before she married Haruka's father and changed her last name Aotomi." He looked at the full moon that was in the sky. "Both of their childhood years were spent under the shadow of their parents. So I guess it can't be helped that at times, they both find you lacking in skill and maturity." Obito felt like he heard the White Fang before…

"Wait, I've heard of the White Fang, the hero who died protecting the village." Obito looked down at his hands. "Kakashi's never mentioned him before." Minato looked at him and Obito noticed the sudden sadness that flashed through his sensei's eyes.

"Sakumo was a great man, a great father, a wonderful friend. He was respected throughout the village and of course this influenced Kakashi to look up to his own father too." Minato shook his head and chuckled. "But I don't know now, he never mentions it. Not after that incident with his father."

"Incident?"

"I know I shouldn't be telling you this, but you're on the same team as Kakashi and Haruka, I want you to know." Minato closed his eyes, as if in pain. "Sakumo Hatake took his own life after being slandered by the village for a mission that he failed, which undoubtedly started the Third Shinobi War. The village criticized him for it. Even the teammates he saved ended up criticizing it." He took a shaky breath. "Even with the help of Akiye, probably his closest friend, he ended his life."

"Haruka's mom…" Minato nodded.

"Akiye and Sakumo were on the same team for years, resulting in a strong friendship. Up to Sakumo's death, Akiye was taking care of Kakashi and Haruka. But a few days before they made Chunin, Akiye was wounded badly on a mission, resulting in a coma that she's still in. But it was horrible timing because Haruka had just taken her first life." Minato finally opened his eyes and looked at Obito. "And since then, she strictly followed the shinobi rules. Kakashi's been influenced with that lifestyle, whether he knows it or not, I don't know." He continued. "Obito, please try to understand, even if it's just a little. They both mean well." Minato smiled "But I will say this, they're changing, especially Haruka. You guys are breaking her shell without her even knowing it." Minato stood up and placed his hands on his hips while looking at the cloudless night sky. "Thank you."

* * *

_The Next Day_

* * *

Everybody was awake and Rin was checking Kakashi's wound.

"Your cut is healing up nicely. But don't over-exert yourself or it'll open up." She said, wrapping his arm and shoulder up again. As she helped Kakashi change back into his shirt, Haruka walked up to Minato.

"Sensei, something doesn't feel right about this mission." She said, looking up at him.

"You'll be fine. Don't worry."

"You don't understand, it feels… wrong." She looked to her left to look at Raijin, but remember he wasn't there. Minato saw this and a thought went through his mind.

"You just feel vulnerable without Raijin. It's going to be okay."

"Talking about Raijin, I can't feel him at all." Haruka quickly said. "Usually, I can feel him through our bond, but I can't _at all_."

"Hmm…"

"Sensei, what if he's hurt?" He smiled at the panicked Haruka, trying to calm her down.

"I'm pretty sure he's fine. Don't worry, I've told Kushina to look out for him." He turned around and looked at the rest of his students. "We're leaving guys."

After running for a few minutes, they took a small break in a bamboo forest.

"We'll be splitting up from here." Minato looked at them. "Good luck to you guys. The enemy yesterday was doing surveillance alone, so you guys should be fine."

"Let's go, Captain." Everybody flipped their heads at Obito in shock, more so Kakashi than everybody else. This caused a smile to light up on Minato's face.

"Alright, we're splitting up!"

"Yes Sensei."

"Scatter!"

* * *

Team Kakashi was currently resting at a lake that they had designated a break place. Unknown to them, enemy-nin's were spying on the team.

"Hey, Mahiru went out for surveillance and hasn't come back. You don't think those brats killed him, do you?" A stranger wearing the Iwagakure hitai-ite asked his black-haired teammate.

"Why don't we go ask them?" The other man asked. As they both stood up, the Iwa-nin's noticed the girl standing in the back.

"Wait, isn't that..?"

"Well, today's our lucky day, isn't it?"

"Who would've thought we would find Hiro's kid out here?" The man, Aotomi Shun, smirked as realization lit up on his face. "Hiro-sama's going to want to her." His teammate, Aotomi Jun stood up.

"I'll go get the two girls. The one with the purple on her face can tell us Konoha's plans. Then, we can take that white-haired brat to her father."

* * *

**A/N: **_Well, what do you think? PLOT TWIST! I was like, Haruka's fathers from Iwa, so why don't I make those two Iwa-nins into Aotomi clan members!_

_Hehe._

_Please forgive my weirdness; it's three in the morning._

_Anyhow, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! It didn't take that long to finish, but I can't really promise when the next chapter will be out. After all, school's starting in about… four hours for me._

_Also, I've updated "Looking into His Eyes" yesterday so please read it! I totally recommend it! *hint hint*i Please read it! I'm working hard on it so..._

_Other than that, don't forget to review and follow/fav!_

_Until next time~_

_(Also, please forgive any mistakes in grammar. Like I said, it's three in the morning.)_


	19. Kannabi Bridge - Part 3

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest.****"**

_David Copperfield _written by Charles Dickens

* * *

**Kannabi Bridge – Part 3**

Tensions in the team were high because of what Haruka had said earlier. Kakashi, of course, was avoiding the girl in fear of another outburst directed at him. That's why he was walking in the front while she walked in the back.

"Haruka, is everything okay?" Rin slowed down and asked her.

No, everything was not fine. Haruka so desperately wanted to tell her that. She wanted to tell someone about the knowledge she possessed, she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs about what's going to happen, she wanted Minato to teleport here and protect them from the enemies that would come.

"…I'm fine." She turned her heads towards the medic and smiled. "I just feel really uneasy." She said. "Thanks for asking though."

"No problem." Rin smiled at her and walked behind her. Haruka was starting to regret what she said to Kakashi earlier, about never forgiving him. She said it a bout of anger, of course she didn't mean what she said. Haruka hoped that Kakashi would forgive her, because right now, she couldn't forgive herself. She sighed, but immediately caught the scent of an unknown person. Haruka quickly turned around, but she felt a hand wrap around her neck, causing her to scream. She thrashed around, but was immediately knocked out.

Aotomi Shun attacked Kakashi while Aotomi Jun dealt with Haruka. Looking past Kakashi, Shun saw that his teammate had the two girls. Taking one last look at the silver haired boy, he jumped back to Jun.

"We'll be taking the girl and her highness now." The man said, his voice sounded amused.

"Wait!" Kakashi said, shooting out his hand. But the two Iwa-nins didn't listen to him and disappeared, leaving behind smoke.

"Damn it!" Obito quickly ran forward.

"Wait, Obito-" The boy turned around, his face red from anger.

"What?!" He pointed a finger at Kakashi. "Are you going to tell me that I'm breaking a rule?"

"We can't just burst in there without a plan-"

"I don't care, they have Rin!" Obito shouted out. Kakashi's eyes hardened with anger at what Obito said.

"They have Haruka too, you don't see me overreacting! We need a plan Obito, so we don't get killed!" Kakashi started walking, careful to add chakra to his feet so he didn't fall through the water. "They'll probably interrogate Rin and Haruka-" Kakashi stopped midsentence and his eyes widened.

"_**We'll be taking the girl and her highness now."**_

"Why did they call Haruka her highness?" Kakashi asked Obito.

"What? How the hell should I know?" This didn't make any sense, why would two Iwa-nins call Haruka her highness-

"Shit, they're from her clan." Kakashi turned toward Obito. "This isn't something we can do on our own! Those two men are from the Aotomi clan-"

"I don't care, we need to go now or they'll get hurt!" Obito urged. But Kakashi stayed where he was, muttering to himself.

"Once they get Rin to tell them our plans for the bridge, they'll increase security, resulting with the mission getting harder. Then, they'll contact the Aotomi clan and tell them they have Haruka. They probably won't hurt Rin; she'll become a prisoner of war because she's an iryo-nin."

"You're assuming Rin's safety under some baseless assumption?" Obito asked the dog summoner. "What if those two guys could give a rat's ass about Rin?" Kakashi stopped walked and started staring at Obito, Kakashi was done with him.

"Not everything is about Rin Obito; they also have Haruka, your other teammate. Remember her?" Kakashi snapped at him. The Uchiha immediately faltered, guilt rushing through his body.

Kakashi finally knew what it felt like to be his father on his last mission; his father had the difficult choice between saving his teammates or to complete the mission. His father's saber on his back felt a million times heavier now.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Rules say that we need to complete the mission…" After all that talk about Haruka following rules too much, Kakashi was depending on them right now, oh talk about irony. Obito heard the last thing he said though and grabbed the front of Kakashi's shirt.

"Fuck the rules; we can't just let our teammates die! I'm going, whether you're coming with me or not." Obito said to Kakashi.

"You can't just waltz in there without a plan, how many times do I have to tell you? And the rules-" Kakashi saw and ball his fist. Then, out of nowhere Obito punched him in the jaw, causing him to fall backwards.

"I tried to like you, I really did. I thought that by hearing your story from sensei, I would understand. After all, you're an orphan just like me. But no." Obito started walking away. "I don't like you after all."

"I'm the captain goddamn it! You _will_ listen to me!"

"Because of the rules right, the one's that I'm supposed to listen too? The ones that makes me a shinobi, _right_?" Obito said sarcastically. "You know Kakashi; I think the White Fang was a hero, not a disgrace." He looked at the silver haired boy. "I know that in the world of shinobi, those who break the rules and regulations are regarded as scum… But those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum." Kakashi's eyes widened. "If I'm already trash anyways, what's the point? I choose to break the rules then. And if that doesn't make me a true shinobi, then I don't know what does."

* * *

_Haruka_

* * *

"Haruka, wake up… Hey, wake up!" The girl groaned and opened her eyes.

"What mom?" Haruka's mom stood over her bed. Haruka felt so disorganized right now, but she passed it off as just waking up.

"If you don't wake up now, you're going to be late meeting Kakashi."

"Fine. I'm up." Something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Haruka shooed her mom out of her room and walked over to her closet to get changed. After debating on what to wear, she finally chose a tank top with shorts. "Mom, what's for breakfast?"

"I made waffles." Her mom tied her hair in a ponytail and looked at the clock. "But I don't think you'll have time to eat. Judging by that clock over there, Kakashi's going to be here any minute." The doorbell rang. "Well, speak of the devil, he's here." Haruka groaned at the thought of not being able to eat her mom's waffles. "Just get the door, you lazy pants." Haruka walked over to the front door and opened it to reveal her masked friend.

"Yo."

"Who are you? I don't know who you are." She said, leaning against the door.

"Haha, very funny Haruka. Akiye-san, your daughter's being weird!" The boy shouted out.

"Mom! There's a stranger at the door! Don't listen to him!" Haruka heard mom putting down plates on the table for her dad.

"Just let the poor boy out of his misery." She laughed at what her mom said and grabbed her bag.

"Bye mom, I'm leaving!" After hearing her mom say bye, Haruka closed the door, grabbed Kakashi's arm and started walking to the train station.

"I'm so excited, we're going to Harajuku!" She turned her head towards the boy. "I can shop at H&amp;M, Forever 21, American Eagle!" She squealed with happiness.

"Why did I agree to do this? If I remember correctly, those are all clothing shops." Haruka hugged the boy's arm.

"It's because I'm your best friend, that's why."

After taking the hour long train ride to Harajuku, they finally made it to the destination.

"We're here! Oh my god I'm so excited!" Haruka grabbed Kakashi's arm and started pulling the poor boy to every store that she found exciting. "Oh my god, it's a cosplay story. Oh, look at that dress! That skirt is so cute!" After window shopping for an hour (plus hearing the groans that came from Kakashi after being asked his opinion) they finally stopped in front of an anime store. "Hey, this place looks cool!" Haruka proceeded to pull Kakashi into the store.

"Huh, this _is_ cool." She heard him say. After throwing him one of her million-watt smiles, she started looking at the manga section.

"Oh, Bleach! Obito was talking about this…" She said to herself. As Haruka scanned the shelves, one particular manga caught her eye. "Naruto..?" Suddenly, pain went through her skull, causing her to drop the book and clutch her head. She saw an image of herself wearing clothes from Naruto as she walked next to a wolf. Another image flashed by of her talking with a blonde man that looked eerily familiar.

"_**Haruka, I've come to realize that Genjutsu is your worse subject**__._"

"_Genjutsu?_" All of Haruka's memories came rushing back to her. She was a shinobi, not a 21st century Japanese girl. She was a solider, one trained to kill, not shop. Maybe in a different life, but not this one.

"T-This is a genjutsu, none of this is real." She said, standing up. Haruka looked down at her clothes and noticed that her tank top and shorts were gone, and she wearing her normal shinobi outfit. As Haruka came to her senses, she was also able to find her chakra.

Making a handseal, she muttered "Kai."

Haruka groaned, the pain her neck causing her to do so.

"Huh, so you were able to break that genjutsu faster than I thought." A man said, standing in front of her. She looked besides her to see Rin still in a genjutsu.

"What the hell do you want with me?" The man chuckled and kneeled down.

"We're going to reunite you with your father." Her eyes widened and she started pulling on the ropes binding her.

"No, let me go!" She started pushing chakra into her arms and she was able to hear some of the ropes tear. The man, watching her, muttered something and did a hand seal. Haruka immediately felt tired and she couldn't feel her chakra anymore. "What did you do to me?" She demanded, feeling anger flow throughout her body.

"This rope is specifically designed to draw in chakra. The more you use it, the more the rope takes in."

"Just let me go!" Haruka continued to say while pulling on the ropes. The man laughed and stood up.

"Not even the strongest member of our clan can snap open those ropes. Good luck trying!" He said, chuckling. He walked towards the entrance of the cave she was trapped in.

Haruka couldn't believe it; she was stuck in a cave when she should be out there with Obito and Kakashi so she could prevent them from getting hurt. She shouldn't be stuck in a cave! Images of Obito trapped under a rock, meeting Madara, trying to kill sensei all flashed through her mind. Images of Kakashi opening his eyes to reveal the Sharingan, stabbing Rin with a Chidori, him crying as he found out Minato-sensei died. She even saw images of her sensei's future kid growing up alone, being hated by the villagers. She saw her mother's face, peaceful with sleep. She could feel her blood boil from anger… from sorrow.

'_Just let go Haruka, let the wolf out._' A part of her secretly said. All that power…

Closing her eyes, she succumbed to the darkness that tempted her. A certain wolf in a far off land started cursing; his partner had snapped.

As Haruka opened her eyes, she felt a sudden wave of powerful chakra come over her.

"Let me go! Let** me gO! I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE!**" She screamed out. Her senses became sharper; she could hear every beat of Rin's heart and she could see the Iwa-nin's pupils widen from over ten meters away. She could even see the sweat glide down the man's face. With one powerful push of her arms, the ropes snapped. She slowly stood up, the hair that came from her ponytail hiding her face.

"**Ha. Haha. HAHAHA!**" Haruka looked up and Shun saw wide eyes, but saw that the whites of her eyes were showing more than anything else. Quite a terrifying sight when her eyes were still managing to glow. "**DO YOU WANT TO PLAY A GAME?**" She asked with a creepy smile. Shun was secretly terrified, when Hiro-sama said that his daughter was dangerous, he didn't really believe it. She may have been the kid of that wolf's prophecy, but come on, what can a thirteen year old girl do? But he realized how stupid he had been, even seeing the canines of this girl's mouth scared him.

With every step she took, he could feel the raw power this girl possessed. He took out his specially designed katana and prepared to fight.

However, it seemed that fate had a different thing in mind.

* * *

**A/N:**_ Damn, this was a hard chapter just because of how I had to w__ord things. I _know_ this isn't a good chapter and it makes me want to cry Dx But this is the best I could do. But hey, at least I got a chapter out. I won't be updating until maybe the end of the week though. By latest would be Saturday or Sunday._

_Please don't forget to leave a review and follow/favorite!_

_Until next time~_


	20. Kannabi Bridge - Part 4

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S. ALSO, THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE CHAPTER IS NOT MINE; IT'S DIRECTLY FROM CRUNCHYROLL AND ITS TRANSLATION.

* * *

"**It matters not how strait the gate,**

**How charged with punishments the scroll,**

**I am the master of my fate,**

**I am the captain of my soul."**

_Invictus_ by William Ernest Henley

* * *

**Kannabi Bridge – Part 4**

Kakashi and Obito came running in through the opening of the cave, prepared to free their teammates. What they weren't prepared for was seeing Haruka… basically not acting like herself For now, the two would have to finish off the Iwa-nin standing in between them and their teammates. Nodding to each other, Obito and Kakashi ran forward and attacked the enemy-nin.

"Haruka, snap out of it!" Kakashi screamed out to the girl, at least trying to change her out of whatever state she was in. He could tell that something was wrong with Haruka just from looking at her with his eyes.

Well…from his right eye anyways. What happened to his left eye would be a story for a different time.

Haruka looked at the silver-haired boy. The first thing Kakashi noticed was her eyes, usually the sclera would be white but hers was all black. Add that with glowing red eyes with almost to no pupils, that's bound to freak a person out. Kakashi heard Obito curse at what was currently happening, but was quickly cut off by the swing of a katana.

"Stay still you brats!" Shun shouted out. He knew that something had happened to Jun if they were here, and that made Shun so angry. "I saw you two last time, you guys have absolutely no coordination together, something that'll win in my favor." He ran forward to them, katana's sliding out from his sleeves.

"Damn it Haruka, you need to control yourself!" Obito shouted out, avoiding the katana. With his newly activated Sharingan, he could tell the difference in chakra when it came to Haruka. Hers was… black, slightly freaking the boy out. But when he narrowed his eyes, he could see a small amount of blue gathered around her head. He's never seen something like that before.

"**Ha, HahAHAHA.**" Whatever controlling the girl laughed. But when she did, Obito noticed her canines were sharper than ever.

"I'm your enemy right now!" As Shuns swung the swords on his arms, Obito leaned back while Kakashi came running up behind him, saber raised. But Shun knew where he was and started closing his arms, creating a scissor motion with his katana's. Obito, using his Sharingan, saw this and quickly pushed his legs against Shun's shoulders, prevent the Iwa-nin from closing his arms. Kakashi quickly raised his saber and brought it down against the man and jumped onto his back, causing Shun to fall onto the floor, unconscious.

"Rin's in a genjutsu Kakashi." Obito said to him. But they couldn't go near her because of Haruka.

She had changed in the few minutes Obito and Kakashi weren't looking. They couldn't see her face because of her hair, but Haruka's body had black chakra surrounding it while her nails looked like…claws.

"Haruka, I know you're in there somewhere." Kakashi said, slowly walking towards the girl. Obito was afraid of Haruka right now; he didn't know what she would do.

"**You don't understand… you'll never understand.**" She said. But her voice… it sounded deeper, almost demonic.

"The Haruka we know wouldn't lose to… whatever you are!"

She finally looked up. "**But she has!**" Her eyes were surrounded by black too, like she was wearing eyeliner. "**You're too late-**" She suddenly froze and placed her both of her hands against her ears.

"H-Haruka?" Obito stuttered.

"**No, no nO NONO!**" She roared, causing some of the rocks to come crashing down in the cave.

"Stand back Obito." Kakashi said. But Obito stayed where he was, next to Kakashi. He was worried for Rin, still tied up behind whatever… thing Haruka was right now.

"Haruka! You need to stop this! Now!" Kakashi shouted out.

"**She need me, she needs this power-**" But she stopped midsentence and groaned, falling onto her knees.

"Obito, now's your chance. Go get Rin!" Kakashi whispered to the Uchiha. "Haruka?" Kakashi asked. From the corner of his right eye, he could see Obito sneaking around Haruka, trying to get to Rin.

"**Scar**ecrow?" Haruka suddenly asked, looking up. Her eyes were back to normal, the dark chakra surrounding her suddenly disappeared. "W-What happened?"

Kakashi quickly ran forward to her and enveloped her into a hug, shocking the girl. "Thank Kami, you're back." He whispered.

"W-What?" He removed his arms from her and saw Obito releasing Rin from her genjutsu.

"I'll explain everything later." Helping Haruka stand up, Obito and Rin came running up to them. Haruka looked around, slightly disorientated until she saw where they were and what was happening.

"Wait, we need to go now, you don't understand. It's going to get dangerous-" Haruka said but was interrupted.

"I see, you two made a good team, but you guys are still kids after all." Shun suddenly said, standing up. "You guys are in enemy hands right now." As he went through the hand seals for a jutsu, he knew that it would probably kill the Konoha-nin's, even Hiro-sama's daughter. They were all told to not kill her, but he didn't have a choice, she was holding a demon after all. This was for Jun, for Mahiru. This was for his brothers. "Doton: Iwayado Kuzushi!" Right after he did the jutsu, the cave started shaking, bringing down rocks from the ceiling. He quickly ran towards the exit, leaving the kids behind.

"This is bad!" Obito shouted out.

"Run for the exit!" Kakashi commanded. As they all ran towards the exit, Obito and Haruka had to avoid falling rocks, separating them from Kakashi and Rin. Haruka kept looking over at Kakashi and above him, making sure there were no large falling rocks.

"Damn damn damn!" Haruka heard Obito say. But Haruka kept paying attention to Kakashi instead of her surroundings; she was running slower than everybody else anyways because of what happened earlier. The only reason she was doing this was because if Kakashi wasn't hit with a falling rock, Obito wouldn't have to go save him.

"Fuck, Kakashi! Look out!" But it seemed like fate wasn't on Haruka's side today. A medium sized rock his Kakashi's injured eye, causing him to fall. Haruka, who happened to be standing behind him, helped him up while trying to also avoid the falling rocks. But she wasn't the one who saw the large rock about to fall on them, Obito was. He ran towards the two and pushed them out of the way.

As the rock fell onto the ground, dust filled the cave, knocking everybody out.

* * *

Kakashi groaned, his body sore.

"A-Are you guys okay? Rin…Kakashi…Haruka." Hearing Obito's voice, the three woke up. But instead of seeing the Uchiha sitting or standing, they all saw him trapped under a large rock.

"Obito!" Kakashi shouted out. He ran to the boy and tried pushing the rock off him, but it was pointless. The rock was too heavy, too large. Haruka kept muttering no over and over again while Rin kneeled next to Obito.

"Don't… it's okay Kakashi." Blood dribbled down his chin. "I know… I won't make it. My right side is crushed… I can't feel anything."

"Fuck!" Kakashi pounded his hands against the rock. Rin stood behind him, crying while Haruka just sat there, her face revealing disbelief. She couldn't save him… she couldn't. She tried to prevent Kakashi from getting hit by a rock. She was the one who helped him up, not Obito. Why? Why did Obito have to knock them out of the way? She could feel her emotions going out of control, but the only thought on her mind was,

'_Why? Why couldn't I save him?_'

"No… This can't be… Why…?" Rin whispered to herself. Obito coughed up blood. He was sad that he wouldn't be able to protect his team anymore, even if he wasn't that much help. He looked to the side to see Kakashi slamming his fist against the floor, tears flowing from his eye.

"If only I was paying attention, if only I was quicker!" Haruka, snapping out of her thoughts, walked over to her kneeling teammates and placed her hands on both of their shoulders. "So what if I'm a captain, so what if I'm a fucking Jounin?"

"…Oh yeah, I'd forgot." Obito's hand twitched. "I was the only one…who didn't get you a gift…for your first Jounin mission, Kakashi." Kakashi looked up, his right eye widened while tears were streaming down his face. "This whole time…I was wondering…what to get you."

"Obito…" Haruka whispered to the Uchiha.

"I just had a thought… Don't worry… it's not some useless, extra baggage." Haruka winced at what he said, remembering the first day of the mission when Kakashi said that exact thing.

"I'm going to give you…my Sharingan." Kakashi gasped. "Whatever the village says, you're a great…Jounin. That's how I honestly feel. Don't let… anyone say otherwise" Obito looked at the silver-haired boy. "Please…take it." Rin wiped her eyes and looked at Obito. "Rin, use your iryo-ninjutsu… Take my eye…and transplant it into Kakashi's."

"Kakashi, come over here so I can start right away." Rin said, whipping away her tears. Haruka stood back and watched the whole process, feeling numb. If only Raijin was here… If only Minato-sensei was here… She had failed miserably, and she felt like crying.

"I'm about to die anyways… But I'll become…your eye and see the future for you."

* * *

The cave's roof exploded, shocking Shun. In the dust, he could see the silver-haired brat standing, alone.

"How stubborn… You're still alive, huh?" Kakashi could feel tears flowing down his face. "But… you're just a kid, after all. What's a shinobi crying for? Come on crybaby! Let's settle this!" Kakashi opened his right eye to reveal… a Sharingan. Something had happened in the cave… Shun could see a darkness in the kid's eye, something that wasn't there earlier. From behind Kakashi, Rin and Haruka stayed next to Obito, trying to comfort his last dying moments.

"Kakashi…take care of… Rin." Obito looked at Haruka. "Haruka…take care of him." The two nodded their heads at the same time.

"Yeah, I will." Kakashi said. He slid his saber out of its scabbard and raised it in front of him. He leaped toward the Iwa-nin, saber raised. Shun could tell that the kid was serious, more than before. He raised his katana and blocked the swing, shattering the kid's weapon. '_Heh, there's nothing he can do now!_' As he raised his katana, he saw the kid go through some handseal. '_What the hell is he doing?_'

"Chidori!" Kakashi's hand glowed with lightning chakra. "You will pay for what you've done to my team!"

* * *

Rin held Obito's hand while Haruka stood in front of the two, planning on fighting whoever came through the hole that wasn't Kakashi. It was the least she could do. Shun stood in front of the hole and Haruka tightened her grip on the kunai in her hands.

"Don't…panic Rin, Haruka." Shun fell, revealing a panting Kakashi.

"Are you okay Kakashi?" Haruka asked. He nodded his head, still breathing hard.

"Kakashi… Take Rin… and Haruka out of here. Enemy-nin's…will get here soon."

"Obito…" Rin whispered. Haruka felt sad knowing that there was nothing else she could do. She beckoned for Rin and helped grab Kakashi's hand. Making sure that Kakashi was still helping Rin, she decided that there was one more thing she had to do.

"Obito… I can take the pain away from you. You say that you're not in pain, but I can smell that you're lying." She said to the boy.

He chuckled. "Heh, I guess you would." She placed her kunai against a certain area of his neck that would kill him instantly when she smelled foreign-nin everywhere.

"Doton: Retsudo Tenshō!" Haruka felt the ground move underneath her, making her loose the kunai. But it wouldn't have mattered; she didn't have the heart to kill her teammate anyways.

"Obito!" She felt his hand push her weakly away.

"G-Go! You'll…die!"

"Haruka, grab my hand! Hurry!" Taking one last look at Obito, she ran forward and grabbed Kakashi hand. As the rocks fell apart one by one, Haruka could feel tears streaming down her face.

'_I promise to protect Rin Obito, I promise so you won't have to change, so you don't get manipulated by Madara. I swear so you don't have to kill Minato-Sensei. I'll protect Rin _and_ Kakashi with my life._'

"Obito!" Rin screamed out. Obito, seeing that his life was about to end, had many thoughts going through his head. '_Just when Kakashi and I were…starting to get along… and in the end, I couldn't even tell Rin that I liked her. Haruka… thank you for caring about me in the end, thank you . I wish… I could've spent more time with you guys._'

After pulling Haruka up, Kakashi could tell that the rock beneath them was about to give out, so he grabbed the two girls and jumped away to a nearby tree.

Kakashi stood there, his hands on his knees as he panted. "Are you two okay?" Haruka nodded her head while Rin continued to catch her breath. But Haruka's eyes saddened hardened.

"Kakashi, behind you!" Looking from the corner of his eye, he could see the same group of Iwa-nin's from earlier.

'_Damn it!' _He quickly went through the hand seals for his signature jutsu. '_Obito, you helped me perfect this jutsu._' Rin's eyes widened from shock while Haruka looked at the jutsu like she knew what would happen, not that anybody noticed her reaction. Kakashi stood on the tree while he held his arm that had his Chidori activated.

"Hmm… You still have the will to fight, even in this situation? No wonder you were able to sneak so deep into enemy territory. You're a determined one." One of the nins said. Kakashi took his specially designed kunai gift from Minato.

"I'll hold them off, get out of here while you guys can." Kakashi said.

"Like hell I will. I'll fight with you" Haruka snapped. She tried to stand up, but whatever happened to her earlier had taken its toll on her. She staggered and Rin caught her shoulders, preventing her from falling.

"I promised Obito I'd look out for you guys… I'll protect you with my life!"

"He wouldn't want you to kill yourself!" Haruka argued.

"Kakashi, don't do this!" Rin pleaded.

"He cared for you guys…especially you Rin. He liked you so much, you were so important to him." He looked at his remaining teammates. "That's one of the reasons why he gave his life to protect you." Haruka knew that everything Kakashi was saying was fully directed towards Rin, not her. But she understood, she wasn't the one that had held Obito's affections.

"Then Kakashi, you should know my feelings for you-"

"I… I can't Rin; I'm not the person you think I am." A certain white-haired person flashed through his head for some reason, but he brushed it off. "Guys, go!" He raised his arm, prepared to fight for his life. Seeing the enemy running towards them, he flung his kunai, and then all he saw was darkness.

* * *

Kakashi opened his eye and he saw a clear night sky, stars flashing throughout it.

"Where…am I?"

"Looks like you've regained consciousness." Kakashi quickly sat up and looked at his sensei.

"Sensei, but how…?" Minato held up his kunai, revealing the same one Kakashi received a few days ago.

"The jutsu formula on this kunai serves as a marker when I leap using the Hiraishin."

"Then…what happened to the enemy?

"I took them all down."

"What about Haruka? Rin?" Are they okay?" Minato pointed his finger forward. Haruka stood up, looking at the sky while Rin was silently crying while she sat down. "Rin and Haruka told me everything. I'm sorry I didn't make it in time Kakashi." Kakashi looked down.

"...Did Haruka tell you what happened to her?" Minato looked at him questionably.

"No, what happened?"

"That weird chakra we saw a few months ago? The same thing happened again...but it seemed like it escalated... She was talking in third person. It was like she wasn't… Haruka." Minato sighed and ran his hands through his hair, something that had unconsciously became a habit.

Minato placed his hand on Kakashi's head. "I'll think about when we get back." Kakashi looked away.

"I'm really sorry Kakashi. I'm so sorry."

* * *

The Third Great Shinobi War.

With the sacrifice of many nameless shinobi, this long war finally came to a close.

In its wake, it also left legends…the stories of great heroes to be told and retold for generations to come.

The Battle of Kannabi Bridge,

That day, two heroes were born in Konohagakure, each with his own Sharingan.

One found his name engraved on the memorial stone,

The other came to be known as Kakashi of the Sharingan.

In time, the tales of his bravery spanned all borders, and beyond.

* * *

**A/N:** _THE LAST PARAGRAPH, IT WAS FROM THE SUBTITLES AND TRANSLATION OF CRUNCHYROLL. IT IS NOT MINE, I __**REPEAT**__, IT'S NOT MINE._

_Everything else is mine and a sort-of copied and not copied translation from the Japanese in the original episode and actual subtitles. I was just really tired and I honestly didn't want to actually _watch_ the video and have to pay attention for somewhat exact translations._

_So, how was the chapter in general, was it good? Was it bad? I wasn't sure if I did well on it or not, especially with Haruka's part. I hope I portrayed the fighting scenes pretty good. I guess that's what I'm worried about most._

_Actually, Haruka's part is pretty concerning for me, I hope it wasn't too confusing._

_So, I kinda killed off Obito, kinda didn't. I have a HUGE thing planned for this, so please bear with me! Don't hate me too, I would be so sad._

_If you guys noticed, I started off with kinda the middle part of Invictus when Kannabi Bridge first started and I ended this arc with Invictus. It's my favorite poem after all!_

_Other than that, please leave a review on how this chapter was!_

_Don't forget to follow/fav if you still haven't!_

_Until next time~_

_Also, I updated Looking into His Eyes yesterday for those who didn't know :)_


	21. New Mission

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**Here comes the rain**

**So many scars never fade**

**This is the price of war**

**And we've paid with time"**

_-Fight the Night_ by One Ok Rock

* * *

**New Mission**

Even though they didn't have his body, Obito's funeral was being held by the Uchiha, they invited everybody on our team. Did you know he was actually related to Fugaku? Obito was his nephew; I guess we all learn something new every day.

Minato-Sensei was at the funeral.

Rin was at it. But I wasn't, and neither was Kakashi.

I just couldn't bring myself to go to Obito's funeral, just because of the amount of guilt that I felt for not saving him,

For not killing him.

And don't get me started on Kakashi; he's like a mindless drone right now. He'll eat, sleep, and train. He trains more than anything just because he needs to get used to fighting with only one eye, he can't use the Sharingan for a long time without his chakra depleting more than half. Not to mention he watches Rin and I like a hawk now, he's basically a stalker now. I wanted to tell him that Obito was alive, I really did. But I knew that it would change _everything_, he'll never forgive me for what I did, for not preventing what happened. I just had to prevent Rin's death, if I do, everything will change. Then Obito won't go insane from all of Madara's false words about an eternal genjutsu. If I had too, I would take her place as the Sanbi holder.

Even if I died, I would do it.

People would mourn for me, and I know that. I know that Kakashi, Sensei, Raijin, and maybe Rin would be sad to see me gone. But in the long run, it would prevent the Akatsuki from turning into a terrorist-like group; it would prevent the Fourth Shinobi War.

It would prevent Minato and Kushina's death.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I'm now a Jounin and Minato-sensei's Hokage now. I think between those two, Sensei becoming Hokage is a bigger deal. He told us that he didn't want to say anything until after the mission, if was supposed to be a surprise. And it actually _was_ a surprise; it made my day a little brighter compared to the dull grey-like feeling that's been surrounding me lately, even if I already knew he was going to become Hokage anyways. Minato was initiated into office about a week after Kannabi Bridge; right after Sandaime announced the end of the Third Shinobi War.

But like I said, it was Obito's funeral today, and I was sitting in the chair next to my mother's bed, trying to avoid it. I'm just as bad as Kakashi, who was sitting on the roof of the hospital right now.

Something in Kakashi had changed. I'm not saying that everybody else's hasn't changed, we all did. But Kakashi… It's like me right after I found out that my mother died. He's so guilty about Obito... He's so much darker now.

I grabbed my mother's hand. "Mom…" I could feel tears in my eyes. "I couldn't save him… I c-couldn't save him…" I whispered. I leaned myself back into the chair and started thinking. If Raijin was with us, it probably would've been different. Rin and I wouldn't have gotten kidnapped…

Where the hell is that wolf?

* * *

"Minato-Sensei? Um...are you busy?" I asked as I opened the door to the Hokage's office.

"Yeah, I'm not busy." He stood up from his desk. He was dressed in black so that probably meant he just came back from the funeral. He smiled at me, but I could see the dark bags under his eyes, the sadness in his eyes. Obito's death wasn't just affecting Kakashi, Rin, and I, but it was affecting him too. I looked around the room, still feeling off about him being Hokage. Sure, I already knew he was going to become Hokage, but I was so used to him being my _Sensei_, I just can't see him any other way.

"I know somethings wrong, Raijin's absolutely nowhere."

"Haruka-"

"N-No! I know somethings wrong! He wouldn't just disappear like this! He's not a summon-"

"Wait Haruka, stop talking."

"What-" Sensei placed his hand over my mouth. When I looked up, I saw him doing his "thinking face".

"Summon…" Sensei whispered, and that was when his face suddenly changed. "That's it!"

"What's it?"

"He's basically like a summon now! I remember when I helped him long time ago he said he could finally reverse summon himself back to his pack!" He looked down at me, his eyes shining. "All you need to do is summon him like Kakashi summons Pakkun or how I summon the toads!"

"That…might be it." I started doing the hand seals for it.

"Wait Haruka, don't do it here-"

I ignored him and bit my thumb, just like what Kakashi did all the time. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" There was a sudden _poof_ and standing in front of Sensei and I was…

Raijin!

"RAIJIN!" I shouted while I ran towards the wolf. I threw my arms around his neck and I could smell the usual smell of Raijin, if that made any sense. "I missed you so much where the hell were you why weren't-" I could feel the vibrations his body made while he laughed.

"Calm down Pup, I'll tell you later." Against my own will, I started crying.

God damn, I'm so emotional lately, why?

I could feel Minato place his hand on my head. "Haruka, are you okay?"

I looked up at Minato-Sensei "Thank you so much Sensei, if it weren't for you, I may have never seen Raijin again." I could feel that my emotions were overwhelming me, and I literally started bawling in the middle of the Hokage office, not to mention the Anbu could probably see everything that's been happening.

"Haruka, it's okay now." I could feel Minato place his arms around me, trying to comfort me. I let go of Raijin and clutched his vest as I cried harder into it. The past month has taken its toll on me, mentally and physically. Obito's death, Raijin's disappearance, Sensei becoming Hokage, I'm surprised that I haven't broken down earlier.

"I-I'm so sorry Sensei! I-If only I w-was stronger!" I cried out. I felt his arms tighten around me.

"You tried your best Haruka, that's what matters." But I continued crying, that was the only thing I could do right now. I felt Raijin place his head on top of mine.

"I'm so sorry Sensei… I'm so sorry."

I sat in a chair in front of Sensei's desk when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Minato shouted out as he rearranged his paperwork. Ew, I don't understand why he wanted to become Hokage, it's basically desk work.

"Minato-Sensei, you wanted me?" I flipped my head around.

"Kakashi?"

"Haruka?"

"Well, it was actually good timing that you came when you did Haruka. You two have a mission together." I turned my head back around and narrowed my eyes at Sensei.

"Okay?" Minato stood up and took out the mission scroll.

"There's some group of shinobi that are against the ending of the War." Sensei shook his head and gave us a weird look. "I personally don't understand _why_ they would complain, this war actually killed many people in all villages. But anyhow, they don't like it."

"So what are they doing?"

Sensei frowned. "They're killing the men in small villages along our borders with Suna. They're kidnapping people; they don't care if you're a woman or a child." He turned to me. "Haruka, I _need_ you to be careful. They're a group of shinobi men, and like I said, they don't care. You understand, right?" I grimaced at what he was saying. I wasn't at the age where I could act like a boy anymore, I'm 13. I'm in that weird preteen stage where I'm still a child but at the same time I'm kinda not, if you can understand what I'm saying anyways.

"Kakashi, you understand too right?" He nodded his head.

"I'm emphasizing on the 'need to be careful' part, okay?" He sat back down on his chair. "I really don't want you two to do this mission, yet alone you Haruka, but the Council said that you're the one to go because of your recent promotion."

"I understand Sensei. Don't worry." I stood up from my seat and motioned for Kakashi and Raijin to follow me. "We'll be leaving, if you don't mind. Some pre-mission stuff to do."

* * *

"What the absolute fuck is this?!"

"Haruka?!"

"The fucking council is saying that Raijin can't come with us on this fucking mission!" I gripped the paper harder, wrinkling it even more. "What the fuck is wrong with them? Do they not know what happened last time-" I suddenly stopped, realizing that this was getting into a topic that I don't think Kakashi is ready for yet, Obito's death. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Raijin, despite my whining, said that he needed to talk to Minato-Sensei about some few things so he wasn't here to hear the news.

"I need to get some things for the mission." I grabbed his arm, making sure my grip was tight enough. Gotta make sure he doesn't run away.

"I'm going to need some new clothes too." I walked towards the market while I dragged Kakashi with me.

I'm going to need a whole ton of bandages for my somewhat growing chest; some new clothes that make me look like a boy, and some new kunai's because I'm running out.

* * *

**A/N: **_I never thought I would say it, but I'm pretty sure I have a writer's block. Like hard too. I wanted to write so much more, but I just couldn't! So I apologize! I can't promise when the next chapter will come out because of the block… so, yeah. I'll probably update Looking into His Eyes more than this one for now so.._

_I guess until next time!_


	22. First Jounin Mission

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

**Warning: This chapter ****mentions**** rape, if you feel uncomfortable about it this then please don't continue reading.**

* * *

**Quick A/N:**_ I just wanted to point out that it is currently the middle of January in this story right now! Just in case it confuses anybody._

* * *

"**I must not fear. **

**Fear is the mind-killer. **

**Fear is the little-depth that brings total obliteration.**

** I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me.**

** And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. **

**Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. **

**Only I will remain."**

_Dune_ written by Frank Herbert

* * *

**First Jounin Mission**

I kept rereading the letter that I received from the Council and double checked, no, triple checked the damn thing.

"There's nothing here that says anything about summoning Raijin." I smirked.

"Haruka, you shouldn't disobey the Council." I turned toward Kakashi.

"I'm actually not." I held up the letter, pointing at a certain line. "This says I can't _bring_ Raijin, nothing about _summoning_ him." My silver-haired teammate started shaking his head, almost as if he was calling me stupid. I shrugged. "Crap, I forgot I needed to see if I had any clothes big on me for this mission."

"Well, that's your fault."

I glared at my teammate and the moment I walked into my room, I started digging through my clothes (you see, my room is super messy). "Damn, there's nothing here that's big on me."

Wait a second… I have a teammate that has a bigger size then my when it comes to clothes. I turned around and gave Kakashi a nice, warm (maybe fake) smile. But Kakashi's known me long enough that whenever I do this kind of smile, it means I want something.

"What do you want Haruka?" He asked me warily.

I continued smiling. "You should let me have some of your clothes."

"…You'd take my clothes if I said no anyways." He gave me a look. "You take my shirts anyways, so why bother asking?" I smiled sheepishly at him, feeling embarrassed. I have a habit of taking his shirts whenever I can't find one for my pajamas. Besides, I know it's really weird but the smell of Kakashi on his shirts helps me fall asleep at night, it comforts me.

Like I said, it's weird.

You see, one time Gai came to our house super early in the morning, so Kakashi and I both opened the door, both of us still in pajamas and half asleep. I was wearing Kakashi's shirt with shorts that he outgrew while he stood behind me in a shirt and boxers, his face still covered by that stupid mask. By the next day, everybody thought we were a thing because Gai mistook what he saw. Let's just say, Gai had to go to the hospital to heal his broken leg and arm.

"Yeah, but that's for sleeping. I don't really take your clothes for wearing in public." Kakashi sighed and walked out of my room, knowing he wouldn't win this. I followed him into his room and watched as he dug through his own drawers for clothes. After a few minutes of hearing the rustling of clothes, Kakashi looked up.

"I don't really have any; all my clothes are basically a different color of the outfit that I wear now." He rubbed his chin. "I'm pretty sure it's going to be suspicious if you wear the same clothes as me."

I sighed, quite dejected that I needed to wear… _that._ "I guess I'll just go to the shops and get the standard Konoha gear. I still have the vest sitting somewhere in my closet."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. Well, I'll be back."

* * *

"Hey Haruka." I looked down at Raijin; he rarely uses my actual name unless he's mad or has something important to talk about, he always calls me Pup.

"…I didn't do it." I blurted out. I heard him laugh and I placed my head on top of his.

"No, it's about me disappearing."

"Yeah, what was that about? You really worried me Raijin."

"I was actually summoned there and I couldn't really summon myself back." He moved his head to an angle where he could look at me even though I was sitting on his back. "I'm sorry for not being there for you." I smiled at him, touched at how he cared. I kissed the side of his head.

"It's okay."

"So, did something happen between you and Kakashi?" I looked at him weirdly.

"I don't think so, why?"

"Well, you guys smell different-"

"Haruka, Raijin! Hey-ttebane!" I looked up to see Sensei's girlfriend (wife?) walking towards us, her arms full of grocery bags.

"Hi Kushina-neesan." I said as jumped off of Raijin. I'll ask him about what he was talking about later.

"I never see Minato anymore; he's always up in that office of his. I don't see you guys anymore either-ttebane!" I started rubbing my head, slightly feeling guilty.

"Sorry, we've been…busy."

"Well, if you guys ever have time, come on over-ttebane!" I smiled at her and nodded my head.

"Okay. Well, I have to go Kushina-neesan, so I guess I'll talk to you later."

"Bye-ttebane!" She gave me a warm smile and walked off humming.

"She seems really happy, I wondered what happened?"

"I don't know, maybe that teacher of yours finally grew a pair and asked her to marry him." I stared at Raijin, quite shocked.

"…That makes sense though." I looked at the sky and guessed what time it was. "Raijin, can we take a detour and go to the Memorial Stone?" I asked, avoiding his eyes. I avoided them because I know I would see pity in his eyes.

I didn't want his pity.

I stood a few meters away from the Memorial Stone, a bouquet of flowers in my hands. I looked behind me and saw Raijin standing a few meters away from me, the bag containing my uniform hanging from his mouth. "I can do this…" I started walking towards the stone, my heart getting heavier and heavier with guilt with every step I took. I placed the bouquet next to the other flowers that surrounded the stone.

"Obito… I'm so sorry I couldn't save you." I traced his name on the stone, still feeling guilty. "I promised myself that I would, but it seems like I broke that promise." I chuckled darkly. "I'll protect Kakashi, I'll protect Rin. I promise Obito." I lowered my voice, making sure that only I could hear it. "You may be alive right now, listening to Madara's false tales, but you won't have to go through with his plans Obito. That, I promise." I stood up and smiled at the stone. "I'll save you Obito. I'll save you from the darkness in this world."

I haven't felt this light in days; I never realized how much Obito's death was affecting me. I turned around and walked towards Raijin with a smile.

I never looked back.

* * *

"You," I glared at Kakashi. "-are so lucky you don't have to wear…_this_." I said, fidgeting with the standard green flack vest that I was wearing. It was uncomfortable enough wearing bindings across my chest, Sensei had to create a seal to change my voice into a guy's! I already hated how I had to cut my hair from the knee length it was to the start of my waist just so the henge for my hair would be easier. I'm pretty sure I was crying as Kushina-neesan cut it, not that she mentioned it. It's funny how I can get and not cry but when I get a haircut, I do.

Fucking irony.

"You can barely tell I'm a girl!" I exclaimed, still not used to my new voice. My hair was currently black and short, kind of like Kakashi's.

"That's the point stupid." He stared at me with his grey eye, his other covered by his hitai-ite.

"Hey, don't call me stupid Scarecrow." I started pulling at my short hair. "My beautiful hair… It's all gone."

"It'll grow back, now quit whining. And besides, it's just a henge."

"Why don't you dress as a girl huh? Wear a bra and have a voice seal like me. Then you can tell me to quit whining." I started pulling on my blue cargo pants that had bandages wrapped around my ankle.

I don't understand _how_ Sensei can stand wearing these things, they're so uncomfortable! I looked back to ask Raijin his opinion (because of the insecure little girl I am) but saw that his newly received hitai-ite was about to fall off.

"Raijin, come here so I can adjust your hitai-ite." I called out to him. "It's about to fall off." The wolf walked next to me and I tied the knot tighter, just to make sure.

"Thanks Pup." I smiled at him and kissed him right under his eye.

"You're welcome."

After a few minutes of walking in silence, I started getting really bored. And when I get bored, it's not good.

"Hey Kakashi…"

"…What?" I rushed to walk next to him, our shoulders touching. Whoa, when did he get taller than me? Wait, I need to go back to the question I was about to ask.

"What's under that mask?" I heard him sigh and I saw the tension in his body leave.

"Why?"

"Because, I've never seen your face and I've known you since we were little."

"And it's going to stay that way."

"Do you have like an embarrassing birthmark or something?"

"No." He deadpanned.

"What about weird lips?"

"No, I don't."

"What about jacked up teeth?"

"Don't have those."

"Then-"

"Will you stop Haruka? I'm not showing you my face so give up."

"Booring." I slowed down and started walking next Raijin. We've been traveling for a few hours and decided half way through to just walk to the small town we were going to stay at. It wouldn't have mattered if we ran there or not because by the time we would've gotten there it would've already been sundown, too late to actually check around.

"Haruka, we need to think of a name for you." Kakashi told me after a few minutes of silence.

"I like Haru; it sounds the same as Haruka." He turned his head toward me and I saw an emotion in his eye that I didn't understand.

"Haru…I like that."

* * *

I grabbed Kakashi's arm and dragged him to the first hotel that I saw in the town, my feet felt like they were about to fall apart.

"We're going to this hotel whether you like it or not. I am not walking around this town to look for another one, got it?" I told him. Kakashi just nodded his head, knowing that he wouldn't win this argument. We walked through the doors and saw the receptionist laying his head on the counter, asleep.

"Yo, get up man. I want a room like, pronto." I said, slamming my fist on the counter, waking him up.

"W-what?" He opened his mouth and looked like he wanted to say something, but he probably noticed that we were customers, not to mention we were also shinobi. "O-Of course Sir- I mean Shinobi-san! Two rooms?"

"Just one." He looked at us weird but he was probably used to having shinobi's sharing one room, so he didn't question it. But I realized his gaze lingered on me and that didn't go unnoticed by Kakashi and Raijin.

"We have one room open upstairs, here's your key." He looked at Raijin and pointed at him with a shaky finger. "I'm sorry, but the boss doesn't let animals into the hotels."

"Damn, alright then. I'll be outside Pup if you need anything." Raijin said and walked out of the hotel. Huh, he agreed to that quite quickly…

I placed a few bills on the counter and grabbed the key, not caring if I gave him too much, wasn't my money.

I walked into the room, Kakashi following closely behind. The moment he closed the door and placed a privacy seal on the room, I took off my voice seal and groaned, thankful that my voice was back to normal.

"Thank Kami that's over!" I shouted out, stretching my arms above my head.

"Go take a shower. I'm going to go buy us dinner by that store I saw a few blocks away." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Suit yourself. I can't promise if there'll be hot water left once you come back though." After he walked out of the room, I took off my vest and shirt and unfurled my scroll that contained shampoo and stuff like that. Opening the door to the bathroom, I saw a simple shower, toilet, and sink. I placed the toothpaste that I shared with Kakashi right next to the sink and started unwrapping the bindings on my chest.

"Thank Kami… I can finally breathe!"

* * *

_Kakashi_

* * *

He did not like this mission at all. It was too dangerous, especially for Haruka to be here. But of course, it was the Council's fault. They probably _told _Minato-sensei that Haruka would go on this mission, and he knew Minato-Sensei couldn't say no to them. Kakashi absolutely hated the Council; all they thought about was power and money (well, to him anyways). Look at this mission for example; they could've gotten any other _male_ shinobi to go along with him. But no, they thought that they should choose a girl shinobi on a mission where the enemy-nin are forcing themselves on women.

Because logic.

But he decided that it was better that he was on this mission instead of some other Shinobi; at least Haruka knew who Kakashi was. And this way, he could protect her. He wouldn't lose her, her just couldn't.

"Raijin, do you want to come with me to get dinner?" He asked as he walked out of the hotel, the receptionist asleep on the counter again.

"Sure, why the hell not. I got nothing to do standing out here anyways."

They walked side by side, a comfortable silence between them. While he looked at the moon, he could feel a slight pain from his left eye because of the Sharingan. But he ignored it and continued walking.

"What do you Haru wants to eat?" Kakashi asked, careful to use Haruka's disguise name.

"I don't know, probably sushi or something." Raijin answered. "Get me meat. I'll eat anything they got." Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and walked into the store.

He saw a variety of foods lined up against the walls; it went from raw vegetable to cooked beef.

"Miss, can I have five steaks, one pack of sushi- actually, make that two packs of sushi and those karage's please."

"W-Wow Shinobi-san, so much food."

He pointed out the glass door to Raijin. "Well, I have a wolf to feed." The clerk didn't notice that a large wolf was standing right outside her store and when she did, she started to freak out. She quickly gave him his food.

"Here's your money, keep the change." Kakashi said as he placed the Ryo in her hand. He walked out the door; feeling slightly satisfied by the shopping he did, even if it was food.

"I got you five steaks. That's enough, isn't it?"

Raijin sighed. "That'll do." Kakashi nodded his head and headed back to the hotel, Raijin following closely behind.

But something was off with the town; it was too silent, too _still_, it was too different from his walk to the store.

"Raijin…" Kakashi looked at the wolf and noticed him nod his head, almost as if he was agreeing with him.

That was when all hell broke loose.

There was a sudden explosion from across the town, but it was large enough to shake the ground where Kakashi was. Soon after the tremors stopped, he could hear screams coming from around them.

"Shit!" He dropped the bags containing the food and ran towards the hotel, towards Haruka. He didn't bother looking back to see if Raijin was following him because he already knew that the wolf was running in the same direction as him.

"Haruka… please be safe." He whispered to himself.

* * *

_Haruka_

* * *

"Fuck!" She couldn't believe it; the water in the shower had something in it that absorbed almost three-fourths of her chakra! She grabbed the towel rack and pulled herself up from the ground. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck…" She muttered as she pulled on a shirt. But this was taking quite a long time because her body was already in bad shape because of the sudden chakra loss.

Right after she pulled on a pair of shorts, the door to the room burst opened, revealing the man from the counter downstairs.

"You!" She shouted out. That man was holding a kunai in his hand and smiling at her. But something about that smile was scaring her.

"You Konoha-nin's think you're soo great for ending the war, but don't you realize that we _need _war?" He laughed hysterically, terrifying Haruka. She inched closer to the bag in the corner; she knew there was a kunai in it. "And _you_, you thought I wouldn't realize that you were a girl under all those clothes? You may have changed your voice and hair, but it's quite obvious." He took a step forward, looking crazed.

That was when Haruka heard an explosion and the tremor that came from it. In the sudden shaking, she was able to lunge for the kunai. But before she could do anything with the Kunai, the man came running towards her and slammed her into the ground, knocking the kunai from her hands. A cry left her mouth when her head hit the floor, making her see black spots.

"You see, I haven't fun in a_ long_ time."

Haruka knew what kind of "fun" he was talking about, and it wasn't something that she would allow him to do. Despite her body protesting she tried to push him off and resorted to just throwing punches wherever she could. This man was sick; he would attempt to rape her? A 13 year old girl?

"Let me go!" She couldn't use her chakra; if she did she would pass out from chakra exhaustion alone. That's why Haruka felt quite proud of herself for punching him in the cheek and causing him to fall back. She tried to scramble away, but the man caught her leg and pulled her back.

"You need to be taught a lesson, you goddamn bitch." He flipped her over and held her arms down with his knees. A 13 year old girl had nothing on him, a 25 year old man, in strength. He pushed down on a certain pressure point that rendered her arms useless.

"W-What did you do to me?" Haruka shouted out, still trying to get away. She could tell she was crying and it was hard to run away when her arms weren't responding.

"I just pressed a pressure point." He smiled at her. "The paralysis will go away in a few seconds, but by then… Well, you'll know." He ripped her pants off and reached for her underwear. But he suddenly froze, blood trickling down his mouth and onto her face. He fell right on top of her, dead.

"Haruka? Haruka!" She opened her eyes, only to see a pair of mismatched colored eyes; one was red while the other was a dark grey.

Kakashi pushed the man off of her and pulled her up into his arms. Haruka's shirt (it was actually Kakashi's) was torn in places and her pants were off on the side, ripped.

"K-Kakashi! I-I was s-so scared!" She clutched onto him and started sobbing into his chest. That man…he was sick. Minato-Sensei wasn't kidding when he said Haruka needed to be careful.

"Haruka? Did he touch you anywhere? Are you okay?" He asked, panic laced in his voice. She shook her head.

"H-He didn't touch me." Hearing those four words relieved Kakashi. He looked down and realized how little chakra Haruka had.

"It's okay, he's dead now. He won't hurt you ever again." He whispered to her, rocking her back and forth. But she only tightened her grip on him and cried harder.

By the time Haruka managed to calm down, Kakashi knew they didn't have much time. He told Raijin to reverse-summon himself back to his pack to heal the stab wound he got while they were running here, which meant that they were left alone at the moment. Kakashi may have been able to kill over a dozen men on his way back, but he could sense an even larger group of Shinobi coming towards this hotel. He helped Haruka put her clothes back on, making sure she was warm. They may be in the Fire Country, but it was snowing outside right now. Not to mention it was also past midnight, he knew that for sure.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"…Yeah. I'm fine Kakashi." He knew that she may have been lying, but for now he needed to make sure they would make it out of this town alive. Kakashi grabbed her hand and started leading her out of the hotel, careful to avoid any of the dead bodies that man earlier had killed.

"We need to leave now before the group comes and finds us. Can you run?" He asked without looking back.

"Yeah, I can." He led her into the forest (the snow falling faster, the temperature getting lower) and he could tell that they were running uphill with about a one-fourth of a meter thick snow slowing them down. Kakashi looked back with his Sharingan activated and cursed. "What's wrong?"

"They found us, we need to hurry." He started running even faster, hoping that Haruka would be able to keep up.

But you see, Kakashi was wrong, what they were running up wasn't a hill.

They were running up a cliff.

"Damn it!" He shouted out. Looking down the cliff, he could see a large river, ice floating on top of it while snow surrounded the riverbank. He checked his chakra levels and cursed. He shouldn't have used his Chidori earlier; he could probably only do two more until he got chakra exhaustion, something that he couldn't let happen. He wouldn't be able to fend off two dozen men with one Chidori while protecting Haruka.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" An enemy-nin said as he walked out of the darkness of the forest. Kakashi quickly pulled Haruka behind him, fully bent on protecting her with his life.

"I know Aniki, its kids trying to play ninja!" Another mocked as he landed next to the man. Kakashi took a step back each time an enemy-nin came out of the forest, one by one.

By the time those nin's were all surrounding him and Haruka, they were barely a step away from falling off the cliff.

"Aniki, we should just kill 'em."

"But what's the fun in that?" At that point, Haruka could tell that Kakashi was at his breaking point. He had almost no chakra, like Haruka, and he was panting just as hard as she was. She looked behind her and looked at the river a couple hundred meter's down.

"…Kakashi, we need to jump." She quickly whispered to him.

"What? Are you crazy? We'll die!" He answered back.

"These two have a death wish Aniki!" One of the guys said.

The bald man standing in the middle of the group, the one everybody called Aniki, started laughing. "Why don't we give them their wish then?" He pointed to the man on the far right, a man with blue hair. "Kuroi, do it."

"As you wish Aniki." He started doing the hand seals that Kakashi would never forget. "Doton: Retsudo Tenshō!" Kakashi quickly grabbed Haruka and jumped back into the air and watched as the side of the cliff break apart and fall into the river below them.

"Don't let go Haruka!" He shouted out. Haruka could feel them falling faster and faster because of gravity. She held on to her teammate and prepared for the impact. Haruka felt Kakashi's grip tighten a millisecond before they hit the water.

Then, there was no more.

* * *

"Goddamn it Haruka, wake up!"

'_Kakashi…?' _She felt something warm on her lips (something that came quite a shock to her when everything was so cold) and air rush through her chest. "Don't do this to me Haruka!" She didn't want to wake up, it was cold.

Too cold.

But then that was when Haruka realized she couldn't breathe. She quickly sat up and puked up the water in her chest, feeling a hand rub her back soothingly while she coughed up the last of the river water.

"Thank Kami." Kakashi said, relieved. But the reality of their situation quickly hit him. They were in unknown territory in the middle of January wet, both of them borderline chakra exhausted. "Haruka, we need to go, now." He said while standing up. Kakashi could already feel his hands going numb, he was just glad that he decided to wear that green masked shirt that Haruka got for his promotion to Jounin, the one that got hotter as he put more chakra into it.

"K-Ka-kashi, I c-can't f-feel m-my legs." Haruka said in a quiet voice, her teeth chattering from the cold. Kakashi's eyes widened and he quickly placed both of his hands on her arms and lifted her up onto his back. He needed to find a cave fast if they were to survive the night. He used up the last of his chakra to do a quick burst towards the side of a mountain he saw a couple meters away.

"Hang on Haruka, we're almost there."

"K-Kakashi, i-its s-so hot." Kakashi was about to lose hope of ever finding a cave until he actually found a small one. He quickly ran towards it thanking whatever gods there was that it was empty (it was winter, bears were hibernating). He quickly placed Haruka down on the floor and started taking his own wet clothes off. At first she flinched at Kakashi's touch (probably because of that bastard) but she didn't stop Kakashi from doing the same thing to her, also remembering to wring out any water from her hair too.

By the time he had finished, she was left in her undergarments while he was too. Kakashi knew that they needed to get warm, and he knew that they needed to be touching for it to work.

But the thing was… Kakashi needed to take of his mask for it to work because he happened to be wearing his sleeveless masked shirt, the one that Haruka gave him-

That's it! This shirt would help Haruka warm up quicker, he had already worn it the whole time (imagine how expensive this masked shirt was, it was _waterproof_ and a miniature heater) they were in the cold. Without wasting a single moment, he quickly took of the shirt and put it on Haruka.

He carried the unconscious Haruka to the back of the cave and sat down, his body surrounding hers (when did she get smaller then him?).

As the adrenaline left his body, he could feel how cold and sore he was. He was tired, so tired. He wanted so desperately to fall asleep, but he knew that this would definitely kill him; it was a sign of hypothermia. He fought to stay awake, but as Haruka's shivering slowed down to a stop, he felt like a hundred years younger. Haruka would make it through the night. Kakashi continued rubbing her bare arms, making sure to keep her blood circulating throughout her body. It shocked him when he felt her push against him; it was as if she was sleeping now more than anything.

What shocked him even more was when she regained consciousness not even five minutes after she had stopped shivering.

"Kakashi…" She said, her voice so thin and frail. She looked up, her red eyes looking at his single grey one (his left closed because of the Sharingan) and raised her hand to his face and touched his cheek. "To think…I needed to be…on the brink…of death for you to…show me your…face." Kakashi felt tears forming in his eyes (he hasn't cried in weeks, not since Obito's death).

"Only you could say something like that right now." He felt her small (fragile) body shake, almost as if she was laughing at what he said. She wiped away the tear that escaped his eye. "I never expected…for you to have…a small mole." She weakly poked the placed right below his bottom lip. "Right…here." His arms tightened around her. The only person to ever see his face was his father; he had never let _anybody_ see his face.

But showing Haruka, despite the circumstances they were in, felt _right_.

"You're…so handsome Kakashi… I'll need to…try harder to protect…you from those girls… Can't have…you running off…now can we…" Haruka's small voice said, shocking Kakashi. A few minutes of silence passed before Haruka started talking again. "Kakashi…please don't… leave…me…" She said, her voice getting smaller and smaller. He looked down to see Haruka asleep once again. She was probably delirious right now, that's why she said those things.

But the dangerous stage of their hypothermia had passed, so why did his heart feel so weird?

Why was it beating so hard?

Why did it hurt so much?

* * *

**A/N:** _WOW GUYS WOW THIS CHAPTER IS OVER 5500 WORDS LONG GODDAMN I NEED A LIFE_.

_You see, I did have writers block. Like a bad one. I swear!_

_But you know what happened this weekend?_

_That's right, Kakashi's face has been revealed. HIS FACE._

_Whatever block that I had vanished the moment I saw his beautiful face because right then and there I knew I had to write something about it. But I didn't really want it to be all cheesy._

_So ta-da! This happened. I hope you guys liked this chapter, probably one of the longest and hardest chapters I've written so far._

_If any of the scenes in this chapter offends you, then I'm so so so sorry! But I hope you guys realize that this is labeled as __**angst **__and __**romance**__. There hasn't been that much angst in this story as I wanted and so this chapter was born!_

_But seriously, if anything in the chapter offended you I apologize from the bottom of my heart._

_So I want to thank **Llyrica, InazumaSenshi,** and **silly60**! These three people, believe it or not, was also part of the reason that I was able to start this chapter!_

_On to better news, I feel like I should start recommending other stories of Naruto on this wonderful website for this story, because those of you who follow my other one know that I'm doing book recommendations._

_So for this chapter, I totally recommend __**Dark Waters**__ by __**TheMaraudersMischiefManaged. **__This story is a Kisame and OC paring and just so well written and I was just in AWE at the way the author wrote this story. I immediately fell in love with it and I knew just that I needed to recommend it._

_I know this may be really really selfish of me to ask, but I really want to know your guy's opinion on this chapter! So please, __please__, __**please**__**, **__review! It's the least you guys can do, right?_

_Until next time!~_


	23. Staying Alive

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**Logic may indeed be unshakable, but it cannot withstand a man who is determined to live."**

Franz Kafka _(The Trial)_

* * *

**Staying Alive**

Kakashi bit his finger and summon as much chakra he could spare (which wasn't a lot).

"Kuchiyose no jutsu." And with a poof, standing in front of him was his loyal companion, Pakkun.

"Yo- What the hell Kakashi?!" Pakkun ran towards him while Haruka was still asleep in his arms.

"I need you…to go back to…Konoha and…get Minato-Sensei…" Kakashi said to his summon, his voice quiet.

"What?! But I should be with you-"

"I don't know how…long Haruka and…I can continue this."

"But-"

"Please Pakkun." The dog whimpered but agreed to what his summoner asked. "Why don't you summon Bull or anyone from the pack?"

"I can't… Summoning you…took almost…all the chakra I could…spare."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I'm trying…to keep Haruka…warm… This shirt…stays warm as long…as chakra…is pushed into it."

"But what about you?"

"I'm…fine. Haruka needs it…more than me." Kakashi gave Pakkun a pleading look. "Now please go… I don't know…how long we can both…hang on."

* * *

Kakashi knew that Haruka was getting worse with every minute; her body was burning up, and not in the good way. He didn't understand where this fever was coming from, but he didn't care. He just needed anybody to come and save them, even Iwa-nins would be welcomed.

Kakashi was _that_ desperate.

He didn't know how long it's been since they him and Haruka were in the cave, but he knows that they don't have long until…well, to put it simply, death.

"Haruka…can you hear me?" He tried asking the white-haired girl, but he knew it was pointless, she was basically in a coma. He realized that they would need food soon, but they had forgotten their bags at that hotel. '_Wait…I put two ration bars in Haruka's flak jacket._' This made him hopeful; the emergency ration bars would help them immensely. There was just one problem,

It was across the cave, near the entrance where all their (still wet) clothing laid.

He would have to leave Haruka for a few seconds and he knew that she would probably be fine, but Kakashi couldn't help but worry. But their needs won out.

Kakashi slowly stood up, his muscles sore and his knees popping from staying in one place for a long time. "Fuck…" He cursed halfway through, not realizing that his position behind Haruka was really hurting him. (At least he didn't have frostbite…yet.)

He slowly walked forwards, the cold wind biting at his skin.

When he reached the clothes, he couldn't have been happier. He checked them if they were still wet and unfortunately, they still were, meaning that they were useless for wearing. He pushed his clothing aside and saw a green vest. He picked it up and felt around in the pockets, and surprisingly, found soldier pills, two things of painkiller, and ration bars. He carried them and rushed over to where Haruka laid as fast as he could.

"Haruka, I found these. We'll be fine for maybe one more day." Kakashi said to her. He ripped open the ration bar with his teeth and kneeled down to Haruka. "You need to wake up Haruka." He tried to wake her up, but she stayed unconscious. '_Damn it, I'm going to have to do mouth to mouth for this._' But Kakashi didn't want to do that, he was already at his limit with skin-to-skin human contact.

But he had to do it for Haruka.

Kakashi shoved a piece of the ration bar and with careful thought, took a painkiller. He made sure to not swallow any of those while he chewed them, even though it was hard not to. After making the weird mixture into something pulp-like in his mouth, he pulled down Haruka's mask. He laid Haruka down on the floor, and his hand hovered over her nose and mouth.

Bracing himself, he opened Haruka's mouth and placed his lips on hers and moved the mixture from his mouth into hers. He closed her nose and waited for her to swallow (hoping that she didn't choke on it). She thrashed around, but he was happy when he realized that the food went down as smoothly as it could.

"Thank Kami…" He looked at the remaining ration bar and steeled himself.

He could do it; he would make sure Haruka ate this whole thing.

* * *

"Minato-sama!" Pakkun suddenly appeared in Minato's office, panic etched into his face.

"Pakkun? Where's Kakashi?" Minato stood up from his chair, now worried. Pakkun wouldn't be here if something didn't happen to the two.

"Kakashi and Haruka are stuck in some cave, near death. Kakashi was the only one conscious, but Haruka was passed out when I saw the two. It was obvious that they fell into the river; the two were only wearing their undergarments with their other clothes laying on the floor and Kakashi trying desperately to maintain body heat with Haruka. This was two days Minato-sama."

"What the hell happened?"

Pakkun shook his head. "I don't know, Kakashi wouldn't tell me. He said that he just needed you now."

Minato opened a drawer and took out his Hiraishin kunai's. "Then what are we waiting for? Raido, Genma, Iwashi, I'm leaving so make sure no one comes into the office. I'll be back."

"Hokage-sama, I don't-"

"Iwashi, I _am_ going. Those are my students; I'm not going to let any of them die, not after Obito."

And with a yellow flash, the Yondaime Hokage disappeared.

Minato felt for Kakashi's Hiraishin seal that he secretly put on his student and teleported to where it was. When he felt stone under his feet he opened his eyes, only to see Haruka and a mask less Kakashi looking frozen in the back of the cave, but Minato could care less about Kakashi's face for now.

"Damn it!" Minato rushed forward and was shocked when he saw Kakashi's eye open.

"Minato…Sensei…" Minato took a handkerchief from his jacket and tied it around his silver-haired student's face. He picked up both of his students and did the only thing he could do.

He used his Hiraishin to the hospital seal he had placed on it and was suddenly appeared in the waiting room, shocking the people in it.

"Mommy, it's Hokage-sama!" Minato heard a little boy whisper behind him, but he had more important things at hand.

"Hokage-sama, what happened-"

"I don't know, all I know is that these two were half frozen in a cave." He handed the nurses that surrounded him Kakashi and Haruka. "Please, do something!" He said, not caring who saw what state he was in. He saw the nurses place his students on two different gurneys and saw them disappear.

A few hours later, Minato was in his office again after the hospital told him there would be no point to stay. He was Hokage after all, he needed to finish some things (although Minato thought that it was a bunch of bull when they gave him that excuse).

"Hokage-sama, Kakashi has awakened and wants to talk to you." He heard someone say, but Minato didn't bother thanking the person who did because he used his Hiraishin to the hospital. He quickly opened the doors and rushed through the hospital, bumping and apologizing to those people.

"Kakashi." He breathed out. Sitting on the bed was Kakashi, anger and relief in his eye. His mask was back on, his left eye closed.

"Minato-Sensei." Kakashi looked up at his Sensei. "…Thank you for saving us."

"Kakashi, what happened?" He looked at Minato sitting in the chair next to his bed.

"They knew, I don't know how but they knew we were there. We went to a hotel and I left with Raijin to go and get food, but between that time Haruka…" Kakashi trailed off and closed his eye, as if in pain of the memory. "She engaged with the enemy, but was very _very_ weak Sensei." Minato saw his student ball the blanket that laid over his legs in his hands. "Haruka was almost raped Sensei."

* * *

"I want to know where that town that Kakashi and Haruka were at. Now."

"Minato-"

"That rebel group needs to pay."

"Minato, please-" Kushina grabbed her husband's arm, stopping Minato in his spot.

"No Kushina, I _need_ to go."

"Where Minato? To that town?" The redhead's grip tightened. "You're the _Hokage_, what would it look like if you went to a town near the borders with Suna to kill some people when the war _just_ ended? Think about it."

"They need to be stopped-"

"But you don't need to be the one to do it." Minato looked up and Kushina was shocked at what she was seeing. Her husband wasn't mad…he was full of rage.

"They tried to _rape_ her Kushina!" He snapped at her. He whirled around and punched the wall, causing the house to shake, not to mention a hole where he contacted with the wall.

This man right now wasn't just her husband, it was the man that had a 'run on sight' warning on the bingo books, it was the man famed for his speed and strength. He was a man that could take down armies with just one jutsu.

He was a man strong enough to become Hokage.

Kushina's grip faltered, and in a few seconds she let go of him.

"Haruka almost died…" He added in a quiet voice.

"It's not your fault Minato." She placed her hand on his cheek, and she felt him lean into her touch.

"But I'm the one who let her on that mission-" Kushina started moving her thumb under his right eye, comforting Minato.

"Stop blaming yourself."

"If only I stood up to the council, or waited-"

"It's _not_ your fault." Kushina sighed. "…Just go visit her for now. She'll probably be happy to see your face." Minato nodded his head and Kushina moved her hand away, but not before Minato grabbed it and kissed the top of her hand.

"Thank you Kushina…I think I needed that. And I'm sorry about…the hole." She playfully shoved him towards the door and smiled at him.

"Oh just go you big baby." Minato gave her one of his famous smiles and teleported out of the house.

Kushina was still worried though, Minato rarely let's his anger get to him, especially like this. The last time she saw something similar to his actions today was when he first used the Hiraishin in the war, effectively killing a whole army. He came home traumatized at what he did and started crying, right in front of the doorway. As soon as Minato got himself together (with the help of her) he left the house, leaving Kushina alone.

Then she heard what had happened from Mikoto the next day, training field 5 was _destroyed_.

An entire training field, gone because of her husband.

But Kushina shook her head and sighed, realizing that all Minato needed right now was time.

* * *

Minato decided that he would walk to Haruka's room in the hospital instead of using his Hiraishin, using it would probably give his student a heart attack. Her room was on the third floor while Kakashi's was on the second, so Minato walked to his room first.

When he reached Kakashi's room though, he wasn't surprised to see his room empty. But Minato could tell that he was still in the hospital, he made it pretty clear to Kakashi when he last visited.

"Huh… He's probably walking around." Shrugging his shoulders, Minato closed his door and walked back to the stairs to go to Haruka.

But when he reached his student's room, he was shocked to see Kakashi in Haruka's room. But what was more shocking to see was Kakashi in her bed, comforting her while Haruka cried. Seeing this, Minato felt guiltier and guiltier.

Why did he ever let her go on this mission?

But he had agreed with Kushina to see Haruka, so Minato decided to just wait until Kakashi left.

* * *

Haruka was staring at the wall when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in." The door handle turned and opening the door was Minato-Sensei, not that she already knew.

"Haruka, I'm sorry I didn't come and visit you sooner." He said as he pulled a chair to the side of her bed.

Haruka shook her head. "It's okay, I needed time to recover." She looked down, avoiding Minato's eyes. "I'm pretty sure Kakashi's told you what happened."

Minato winced and placed his hand on her shoulder, but Haruka flinched when she was touched. "I'm so sorry Haruka, I shouldn't have let you on that mission, I should have stood up more to the council-" But when she looked up, Haruka had tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry for making you worry. I should've been stronger-"

"It's not your fault okay?" He stood up and slowly pulled her into a hug. "It's never your fault." Minato felt her nod her head and wrap her arms around him, causing him to feel a rush of emotions.

He was relieved, angry, sad, and happy all at the same time.

But most of all?

He felt something akin to fatherly love for the little girl that was crying in his arms, causing him to tighten his arms around her, almost as if he could protect her from everything bad in the world.

* * *

**A/N:**_ So… This chapter was an average, not so good chapter I guess. But I wanted this whole thing to be over with so I can kinda continue into canon!_

_THIS IS SOMETHING SUPER IMPORTANT IM SLIGHTLY CHANGING THE TIME PERIOD IN CANON FOR NARUTOS BIRTH AND KYUUBI AND STUFF._

_Got that off my chest (thank god). But it's only going to be a year so when Naruto is born instead of Kakashi and Haruka being 14 they'll be 15._

_For this chapter's recommendation, I totally recommend this one-shot of a TobiramaxOc [Just like my other story! (But it's not a one-shot)] This story is called _**_The Ties of Blood_**_. (It won't let me type the authors name, but her username contains **Storyteller**.) This story was just sooo good, not to mention that I have a weak spot for Tobirama and an Oc love story (despite it being a one-shot). I wish I could write as good as other famous authors on this site Dx But alas, this is the best I can do for now._

_So please review and if you haven't and don't forget to follow/fav.!_

_Until next time!~_


	24. Changes

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**Nobody knows why**

**Nobody knows how and**

**This feeling begins just like a spark**

**Tossing and turning inside of your heart**

**Exploding in the dark"**

_Here With Me_ by Susan Suh

* * *

**Changes**

* * *

_Unknown_

* * *

"Tell me why Tashiro and his group were not able to kill those two."

"I do not know."

The man scoffed and turned around, the sound of his shoes hitting the ground with every step he took. "Why is it so hard to get rid of them? They are obviously a threat to Konoha, including that naïve teacher of theirs." The man turned around and looked at the boy kneeling in front of him with his only available eye. "But I can't touch him because he is the _Hokage_, a title that I could've received if it was Orochimaru who was chosen."

"Why not recruit them?"

"I can't get anywhere _near_ them because of that goddamn Hokage, I fear he knows what I want. I can't fool that man, under all those smiles, he pays attention to things he shouldn't." The man sighed. "This will be your next mission Kinoe. Tail those two but stay unnoticed by Minato's ANBU, he has them watching the two 24/7. Understood?"

"Yes."

* * *

_Nine Months Later_

_Haruka_

* * *

I stared at the calendar on my wall. _October 15. _Naruto wasn't born yet.

He's late, wayy late.

Kakashi was already 14 back in September; I'm turning 14 in a month (November). Today is technically the 15th, so he should've been born five days ago. But the weirdest thing of all? Kushina's _not even pregnant._

That's probably why I'm having a slight mental breakdown right now. And that's not even that _best_ part. Rin hasn't been kidnapped by "Iwa-nin's" to become the Sanbi's temporary Jinchūriki.

Like I said, _slight _mental break down right now. It's probably making Minato-Sensei question my sanity lately.

"Hey Haruka, I wish I could stay with you longer, but my mom wants me home when the sun is setting." I looked to my right and smiled at Rin.

"Sure, I think I have to go anyways." I scowled. "Kushina said that Kakashi and I both need to have a "homemade" dinner." We both stood up from the bench.

"Well, I wish you luck then." Rin smiled at me and ran off, waving goodbye.

Now, off to Sensei's house for dinner. If I think about it, I should've checked to see if Kakashi was going… Never mind, Kushina would probably drag his butt to her house even if she said no.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and started walking into the direction of Sensei's house when I caught a weird, unknown scent. I took a deep breath, making sure to look like I was about to sigh, when I caught the smell again.

This started flashing warning signs in my head. I quickened my pace and I could still smell this man chasing me. By the time I reached the halfway point to Sensei's house, I was panicking.

"Fuck it." Bracing myself, I pushed chakra into my legs and started running to his house, full speed. Yet, I could still smell that man _chasing _me; he was always behind me no matter what I did. When I reached Sensei's house, I didn't even bother knocking on the door, I pushed it open and slammed it shut, earning me a glare from Kushina and a weird look from Sensei.

"Is…everything okay Haruka?" I flipped my head to sensei and forced a smile.

"What? Of course everything's okay." I laughed as I took off my shoes and walked into the dining room to the seat next to Kakashi, the one person in the room who looked like he didn't want to be here.

"Uh…I don't think so Haruka. You're really pale, and that's saying something." Kakashi said, looking at me.

"Seriously, I'm fine-"

"Haruka." Sensei said to me in a tone that I personally didn't like.

"…I was being followed." I mumbled quietly. Minato looked as if he already knew while Kakashi looked quite shocked. Huh, does he not know about the ANBU that follow him?

"They're probably-"

"If you're talking about the ANBU that watch Kakashi, Rin, or I, it wasn't them. I know most of the ones that watch me by smell." I looked down at the table, avoiding their eyes. "This guy smelled different. It was different from any other ANBU that I've met or smelled." Sensei's eyes hardened.

"Well, enough talk about that-ttebane! It's time for dinner!"

* * *

"Thank you for having us for dinner." I said to Kushina and Sensei. I bowed and turned around, Kakashi waiting for me.

Minato stood in the doorway connecting that connected the kitchen/dining room with the hallway that led to the doorway. "Be careful you guys, okay?"

"Don't worry Minato-Sensei. We'll be fine." Kakashi answered as I finished buckling my shoes. "Hurry up Haruka."

"Oh shut up you old man."

"How many times-"

"Bye Minato-Sensei, Kushina-neesan!" I shouted as I pushed Kakashi out of the front door. He closed the door and started walking, me following closely behind. I stared at Kakashi's back as many thoughts went through my head. Why wasn't Kushina pregnant? This was _seriously _freaking me out.

You know, I'm pretty sure all the thinking I've done today isn't good for my brain…

"Hey Kakashi?"

"What?"

"Catch me!" I ran up to him and jumped onto his back, causing Kakashi to stumble for a few steps before readjusting his balance.

"Why do I even bother catching you?" I moved my head to the right so I could look at him in the eye.

"Because if you don't, I'll get hurt and you'll have to heal me. Don't want that do we? I'll be like your worst patient _ever_."

"Please, living with a she-devil like you-" I smacked his head, causing him to stumble once again.

"Watch it." He carried me for a while in comfortable silence until I looked at him. His eye was focused on the road ahead of us, his face still covered by his mask. His silver hair was everywhere, defying gravity (like usual).

"Kakashi?"

His lone grey eye looked at me. "Yeah?"

I thought about how to word my sentence, it was after all, a pretty personal question. "Why do you wear your mask?"

His eye revealed how surprised he was at my question, but the side of his eye wrinkled, revealing to me that he was smiling. "In all honesty, I don't know." My eyes widened and I looked at him in shock.

"What?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "It was something my dad did during his missions, and I thought it was really cool, keep in mind I was still around three. That's how it all started off anyways." He continued. "But after my dad's suicide, it became like a security blanket for me. And despite what you said to me after his death, I _really_ thought he was a disgrace, you know?"

"Kakashi…"

"I don't anymore, but… I know how much I look like him, even from a little kid. It bothered me back then, so the mask also helped me hide my face." The mood in the air was dark from talking about Sakumo and his death.

"You should let me see your face again." I gave him a mischievous smile, as if in was an inside joke. "And that mole right there." I poked the right side of his bottom lip.

He immediately shot me down. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so." I groaned. "Hey, be thankful that you even saw my face. You were the only one after my dad to see it."

"Besides Sensei." I pointed out. I looked up to see our house with Raijin siting out front, looking bored. I jumped off Kakashi's back and poked where his mole was. "Catch me if you can!"

* * *

"My Eternal Rival, please open your door!" I heard pounding on the front door, and I knew who is was, it was a certain spandex-wearing person that would _not leave_.

"Pup, go get that door! Your weird bowl cut friend is here!"

"Kakashi, your best friend is here." I said to Kakashi after hearing Raijin's annoyed voice. I yawned, my eyes still closed.

"So?"

"Go see what he wants."

"No, you go." I groaned and opened one eye to see Kakashi's silver hair all in my face.

"Just go!" I pushed Kakashi, trying to get him to fall off the bed, but Kakashi knew what I was about to do so he grabbed my arm, which ended with both of us to tumble off the bed. "Goddamn it Kakashi, now we're both awake."

"Oh well." I pulled myself off the ground and glared at the silver-haired boy that I shared a bed with now.

You see, this arrangement happened a few weeks ago when both Kakashi and I came back from _that_ mission. I would have nightmares constantly, and it was different from before. It got more violent…more terrifying, to the point where Raijin couldn't really comfort me in my sleep. But he noticed that I was calmer whenever I wore Kakashi's clothes. He immediately pieced it together and by the next day, he demanded to Kakashi that I slept in his bed. Of course, Kakashi said a big fat two letter word that had n and o in it, but after Raijin _friendly_ asked him, Kakashi caved him.

Hence, the new sleeping arrangement.

"Let's just get this over with." Kakashi said as he stood up, his hair even more ruffled than usual because it was morning. We both walked out of his room and down the stairs, only to see the annoyed face of Raijin's.

"I'm getting a headache, open that door." We heard the door pounding again.

"Eternal Rival, I know you are there!" I stomped to the door and swung it open, Gai's fist in the air, about to pound the door. "Ah, Haruka-chan! What a lovely morning, isn't it?"

"Sure…" I question this guy's sanity. "Anyways, what do you want Gai?"

"Is my dear friend Kakashi here?" I opened the door a little more, revealing an annoyed Kakashi.

"What do you want Gai?"

"Let us go to that festival they're doing today to express our youthfulness to the world!" I knew immediately that Kakashi wouldn't want to go and that he would find every excuse not to.

"I can't leave Haruka alone so I guess I can't." I whirled around and glared at Kakashi's face. I knew he had a smirk under that mask, which irritated me even more. How dare he use me as an excuse!

"Oh? Then I invite Haruka-chan to join in on our fun day!" I froze and I could feel Kakashi do the same thing behind me.

"G-Gai, you don't have to-"

"Why yes I do!" I sighed, knowing that Gai wouldn't give up until Kakashi or I say yes.

"Alright then, give both of us a few minutes to get ready okay?"

Kakashi gave me a betrayed look. "Wait-" I smiled at Gai and slammed the door shut, leaving me and Kakashi alone since Raijin went off somewhere, probably to find some breakfast or something. "I'm not going." He flat out told me.

"Uh, yeah you are." I countered. I pointed at him and then back to the door. "Your dear friend Gai is outside and he invited both of us to go with him to the Autumn Festival, and you're sure as hell not leaving me alone with him."

"But-" Grabbing Kakashi's shoulders, I whirled him around and started pushing him to the stairs, which meant go get changed. "You owe me." I heard him mutter. As he walked into his own room to get changed, I walked into mine and saw Raijin on top of my unused bed, licking his paws.

"I thought you were going out hunting."

"Eh, I was but decided not to last minute." I shrugged my shoulders and looked through my closet for clothes. I picked up a pair of black shorts and a tight fitting navy blue V-neck. I brushed my hair and after a second thought, I let my hair down. Looking at myself in the mirror, I could tell that my white hair reached the bottom of my butt, which made me really happy.

"Come along with us Raijin." I turned around and asked my wolf. I saw him look at me and say nothing for a few seconds, leaving me thinking that I asked the wrong thing somehow.

"Sure, why the hell not? I have nothing better to do anyways." He jumped off my bed and stretched.

"Alright, let's go down. Kakashi and Gai are already waiting for us." I walked down the stairs and saw Gai challenging Kakashi to something and the other immediately saying no. It was actually a really funny sight.

"Come on guys, let's go. This festival had better be interesting." I pushed the two boys out the front door and walked out myself, Raijin following close behind. We walked in silence (well, as much silence as there was with Gai around) until I heard my stomach growl.

"I'm craving dango; do you think we can go get some?" I asked the two.

"I guess."

"Yes!" I jumped up and down, happy that I could fill my poor empty stomach with food, especially dango. Yum.

There was suddenly unknown arms surrounding me and picking me up, causing me to scream and flinch at the same time. "Oh Haruka-chan, your excitement about dango shows the youthfulness in you!"

"Thanks, but can you put me down?"

"Oh, I'm sorry my dear lotus flower!" I sighed, knowing that no matter how many times I tell Gai to stop calling me that, he won't remember. He slowly put me down and smiled at me. From the corner of my eye I could see the usual dango store.

"Let's go, my stomach is growling with hunger!"

We all walked into the dango shop when we saw Rin with Kurenai and Asuma.

"Rin?"

"Gai?"

"Kakashi?"

"Haruka? What are you guys doing here?" Asuma asked after Rin and Kurenai finished their questions toward us.

"I was hungry and wanted some dango, so I just asked these two," I pointed to Gai and Kakashi standing behind me. "And they said that we could come here."

It was actually really weird for all of us to be together just because we're not really _close_ friends, per say. I'm friends with Rin, who in turn is close friends with Kurenai. Kurenai is close with Asuma, who is close with Gai. Kakashi has that weird love/hate friendship with Gai while I'm just always around Kakashi. We're like all friends with each other, but not. Quite confusing if you ask me.

Kurenai smiled and patted the large table her, Rin, and Asuma were sitting at. "Why don't you join us?" I looked behind me and saw Kakashi shrug while Gai did that weird smile that seemed to make his teeth shine every time.

"Sure." I moved my hair behind my ears and sat down, Kakashi sitting next to me on my right while Rin sat to my left. On the other side of the table, Kurenai sat in front of me (The middle) while Asuma sat to her right and Gai to her left.

As soon as we all got as comfortable as we could, we started passing around the menu. I already knew what I wanted so by the time the menu came around to me, I just passed it to Kakashi. After we ordered the food's that we wanted, I turned to Rin.

"So how's working at the Hospital like?"

She turned to me, her eyes shining with joy. It's probably because of her job there, she was always happy about being a medic after all. "It's wonderful! I love it there, the nurses and doctors are so nice and I'm learning so much!"

I smiled at her. "That's great. I'm actually really happy that you're happy Rin."

"Thanks. Are you going to the festival later?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah, that's actually the reason why Gai came to our house earlier" I opened my mouth to continue what I was saying, but the old lady who ran the Dango shop came with all out orders. After she placed down all the plates, I grabbed one that I ordered for Raijin and stood up to give it to him.

"Here Raijin, it's not much but I got you some." I said as I walked up to him.

"Thanks Pup." I raised the stick and he bit it all the way up to where my finger was at and dragged his mouth all the way down the stick to pull off the dango. I smiled at him and walked back into the shop, my plate now full of sticks.

"Haruka, we should all go to the festival together." Kurenai said to me as I sat down on my chair.

"That sounds like fun." I ate the dango and moaned from how beautiful it tasted. Not to mention I was also _very_ hungry.

"Rival, I challenge you to a dango eating contest!" My eyes widened and I turned around to Gai.

"Gai, no!" He looked shocked at my outburst while Kakashi just looked relieved. "Uh…You should do a challenge at the festival. There's a lot more stuff to do." And I added. "It's a hell of a lot cheaper too."

"Yes, what a youthful idea Haruka-chan!" I heard the groan of pain from Kakashi, which made me laugh.

"Suck it up Kakashi!"

* * *

_Third Person P.O.V._

* * *

By the time the group left the dango shop, it was well past 4, but that festival opened around this time so they didn't really care.

"Kakashi, what do you want to do?" The masked boy shrugged his shoulders at Haruka's question.

"Don't just shrug your shoulders, say something!" She scolded.

"I don't know!" Haruka shook her head and shot Kakashi a glare before running up to where Rin and Kurenai were walking.

"Your wolf is so big… Was he always this big?" Kurenai asked Haruka.

"Eh, I think he's growing again." She raised her arms above her head and stretched. "Have you grown Raijin?"

"No I haven't Pup."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure I would notice if I got bigger." Haruka turned to Kurenai. "Well, that's what he says."

"Oh. Well, what do you want to do at the festival?"

Haruka looked at Rin, her eyes shining with excitement. "I want to eat some candy apples or some takoyaki."

"But you just ate, why would you want to eat again?"

Haruka gave the girl an incredulous look. "Why _wouldn't_ you want to?"

But their conversation was interrupted when a certain spandex wearing boy started yelling. "Kakashi, I challenge you to a kingyo-sukui!"

"Goldfish scooping? I'll pass." Kakashi replied. Haruka, seeing all of this, gave Rin a mischievous smile before running up to Kakashi and put her arms around his neck.

"Kakashi, don't let your dear friend down! Do it!" Kakashi glared at her and started making excuses about how he couldn't.

"Have those two changed somehow?" Kurenai asked Rin as they both watched Haruka and Kakashi bickering.

"Yeah…" Rin looked at her. "There was a bad mission at the beginning of the year that almost cost their life, especially Haruka's." She took a deep breath. "Something happened on that mission that changed her. Haruka was so quiet for the first few months after it, any sound made her jump and almost no one could touch her with her flinching. She would follow either Kakashi or Raijin around all the time. She was _never_ alone; it was as if she was scared of being alone."

"...What happened?"

Rin pointed at Kakashi and Haruka. Haruka was now "climbing" onto Kakashi's back and he was trying to keep his balance while yelling at Haruka. "That happened."

"That?"

"I don't know what happened between the two but a few weeks ago she changed, almost overnight." Rin shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't asked about it and don't want too. She's happy right now and I don't want to change that, especially after Obito." Rin's mood saddened after saying their dead teammate.

"Haruka, if you're not careful you're going to fall or cause Kakashi to." Asuma said, watching the two.

"Eh, he'll be fine."

"Pup, I highly doubt that."

Haruka looked at the wolf. "He looks fine-" Her eyes widened as everything happened as if it was in slow motion. Raijin flipped his tail over Kakashi's leg, who started falling with Haruka on his back. There was a crash and fall, Haruka laying on Kakashi's back while they both were on the ground.

Asuma looked down at them, smug. "I told you."

"Shut up Asuma." Haruka grumbled as she stood up, ignoring the silver-haired teen behind her.

"Come on guys, let's go to the stands!" Kurenai shouted out. She saw Asuma look at her and she blushed, making Rin suspicious. But she didn't really care, as long as her friends were happy.

If only Obito were here…

* * *

It was late at night when the fireworks were happening, so they all decided to do some games. Like Gai asked earlier, he and Kakashi ended up doing the challenge on who could catch the most goldfish before the net broke while Raijin tried to interfere with them by scaring the fish. Asuma was trying to win Kurenai a stuffed animal while in the next stand Haruka was buying some takoyaki for her and Rin.

"Hey Rin…" Haruka asked while they watched Gai and Kakashi do another challenge.

Rin turned her head to the girl. "Yeah?"

"How are you?" Haruka's voice hardened. "Honestly."

She looked at the food in her hands, unable to look at her teammate. "It's been hard. I never realized how much of my life revolved around Obito." Rin chuckled quietly, as if laughing at an inside joke. "I would make sure he wasn't late or make him lunch. We would sometimes walk home together or just simply talk. I knew about his feelings about me but I just couldn't…" She quickly looked at Haruka though. "I'm still sad, but I've come to accept it because I know Obito wouldn't want us to be sad. In a different way, I'm happy."

"I guess that's good."

"Excuse me?" The two girls turned around to the man carrying a large camera. "Would you like to take a photo?"

Haruka looked surprised. "For free?" The man nodded his head. "Then sure, I would love that. Can you wait a moment?"

"Of course."

Haruka went to go get Kakashi, Gai, and Raijin while Rin went to go get Kurenai and Asuma. "We're taking a photo so get over here."

"What?" Haruka sighed and grabbed both of their arms. As she dragged the two to where the camera man was at (with Raijin following closely behind), Rin was already walking over with Kurenai and Asuma. Kurenai looked really happy; it was probably because of the large stuffed bear in her arms.

"Is this all?" Rin nodded her head. She kneeled onto the ground in front of Kurenai (who was still carrying the stuffed animal) and Haruka while Kakashi stood next to her, crossing his arm and looking off to the side. Asuma and Gai were both standing behind the girls, smiling into the camera. Raijin was on his hind legs, his front paws on Asuma and Gai's shoulders.

"Cheese!" Rin raised both her hands into a peace sign a second before the camera flashed. The group of teens looked happy, carefree.

They all looked their age for once.

* * *

_One Week Later_

* * *

"Raijin, what do you think about this photo?" Haruka asked the wolf as they walked out of the photo shop.

"I love it, I look great in it." She nudged her shoulder to his and laughed.

"Of course you would say that." Haruka looked at the photo in her hand. "At least I have something to put next to the team photo now."

"True."

"Right? Now mom's picture-"

"Haruka! Haruka!" She looked behind her to see a panicking Gai running up to her.

"Gai? What's wrong-"

"It's Kakashi and R-Rin." He said as he tried to catch his breath.

Haruka put the picture into her pocket, now worried. "What about them?"

"R-Rin's been kidnapped a-and Kakashi ran off to find her."

Haruka's eyes widened and she paled. "N-No, no no no!" Without saying anything else, she ran off, Raijin closely behind her. She ran straight to her house to get her stuff, she was wearing her civilian clothes and was carrying no weapons.

She would get this right, she _had_ to save Rin. Haruka already had a plan after all.

* * *

**A/N: **_Hello my dear followers! Here is the next installment to In Time. I wrote a lot more than I thought I would and I actually liked this chapter._

_So, what do you think about Haruka and Kakashi's new sleeping arrangement? I thought this was a good idea, but I don't know. If you guys don't like it all you have to do is say that and I'll see what I can do to change it. But if only one person says they don't like it well… I'm not going to change anything then._

_Well, I hope you liked this chapter! I worked very hard on it, it did take me about four days of writing for this to be born xD_

_For this chapter, I recommend __**Timeline of Forever**__ by __**Pikapixie The Demigod**__. This is a GaaraxOc story and I love the main character Fumiko! I don't know why but her story was actually one of the reasons why I started writing. This was also one of the main stories that got me hooked onto Fanfiction xD So you could probably say that this story is actually one of my favorites! __**Between Love and Everything Else**__ is actually the continuation of Timeline of Forever so…_

_That's about it guys! Don't forget to leave a __**review**__ and if you haven't then a follow/fav.!_

_Until next time!~_


	25. Rin's Kidnapping

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"_If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment."_

**William H. McRaven, University of Texas Graduation Speech**

* * *

**Rin's Kidnapping**

* * *

_Haruka_

* * *

Haruka took a deep breath and was able to catch the scent of the people she was trying to find: Kakashi, Rin, and the group of Kiri-nin that kidnapped her. Kakashi's scent was strong which meant that he was near.

"Come on Raijin, we need to follow this." She continued running, the black wolf following closely behind.

"Pup, I understand why you're worried, but you're borderline paranoid right now." Raijin said to her as he caught up to the running girl. "Do you know something that I should probably know?"

Haruka opened her mouth to say something but she suddenly whirled around and knocked the shuriken in the air away from her. "Enemy!"

"You know just because you're not wearing your hitai-ite, it doesn't mean I won't notice you're from Konoha." A man said, walking out from the branches. Haruka and Raijin both let out a growl and got in a fighting stance. "Oh?"

She knew it was pointless, but she tried asking anyways. "Just let us continue on our way." She needed to go; any second she wasted could lead to Rin's death.

The Kiri-nin –who really wasn't one- raised his hand up and pointed his kunai at her. "That is something I just can't do little girl."

Haruka's face got red from anger. "Kami, what's up with everyone calling me a little girl?" She ran forward, her own kunai out.

The Kiri-nin was obviously powerful, but with Raijin also backing up Haruka he had no chance.

"Raiton: Jibashi!" She shouted out. She touched the Kiri-nin in the back of his neck and let the lightning chakra flowing through her shock the man, killing him instantly. "Come on, we don't have time." Without giving the dead man a second glance, she started running back on the path towards Kakashi and Rin.

"Pup-" She held her hand up and started sniffing around.

Haruka caught the scent of dogs, which meant Kakashi. "Kakashi's close, which means Rin is too."

'_Not to mention Obito._'

* * *

_Kakashi_

* * *

Kakashi and Rin were panting, they were only a few minutes ahead of the Kiri team behind them and in their current condition, they both knew that the enemy would be onto them soon.

"Kakashi, you need to listen-"

Kakashi held up a hand, silencing Rin. "Wait, I hear something." He listened closer and could hear the sound of a battle coming from the direction the just came in. "Someone's fighting the enemy."

Rin looked at him, her eyes wide. "Who?"

"I don't know, they're too far away for me to tell." He groaned and rubbed his face. "Come on, we need to keep heading back, we don't have time to stop and rest. We need to take advantage of whatever's happening behind us." Giving his teammate a smile, he jumped onto the next tree with Rin following close behind

After a few minutes of running Kakashi took a deep breath and noticed that he caught the scent of a very familiar person, a person that he was very close with. He looked behind him and noticed said person trying to catch up to them, her wolf following next to her.

"Haruka?!"

"Thank…Kami, I caught up." Haruka said, stopping in front of them.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kakashi asked, still looking behind her for the enemy team. He waited for a response but he received none so he looked at the two girls, only to be shocked at what he was seeing. Haruka had ignored his question and in turn was staring at Rin's stomach; her shirt was pulled up revealing black ink on her stomach.

"I was right…" Haruka said to herself.

"Guys, we need to go now before they catch up to us." Kakashi announced. His white haired teammate nodded her head and stood up.

"Kakashi's right, we should go now."

"But Haruka, the seal-"

"We'll get Sensei to look at it so don't do anything stupid, alright Rin?" Haruka asked sternly. Rin nodded her head, indicating to Kakashi that they could leave.

"Let's go." He jumped to down to the ground and started running, the rest of his teammates following closely behind.

They were all running for a few minutes when Kakashi was hearing the enemy team from behind them, that meant that they had caught up to their group. Kakashi mentally cursed and stopped; at this point he knew that they would have to fight instead of run like what he wanted to do.

"Haruka, Rin, stand behind me." Haruka grabbed his arm, her face revealing how annoyed she was at the moment.

"Kakashi, this group is too much for us. We need to get Sensei-"

"He's on a mission, we can't disturb him."

"He said to use it whenever we're in danger, like hell am I going to let you get yourself killed because you're too stubborn. I told you it was obvious that we're weaker than them, look at me and Raijin!"

Haruka knew that she looked like a mess; there was blood from both her and the enemy, not to mention she had a large cut on her forehead that was spilling blood over her face. Despite having black fur, she could also tell that there was blood on Raijin's hind leg and a cut on his ear, making her regret bring him along.

"We _need_ Sensei; this isn't something we can do alone." She pointed to Rin, who looked about ready to pass out. "I've seen enough seals, the one adorning her stomach is unstable, it could release whatever inside her at any moment." She gave Kakashi a pleading look. "_Please_."

Kakashi ripped his hand from her grip and gave her a glare. "Goddamn it Haruka, fine. I'm still fighting the enemy until he gets here though, got it?" He finally said. Hearing that Haruka could finally feel all her worries disappear, Rin would be saved! She grabbed the kunai in her pocket and without a second thought Haruka pushed her chakra into it, indicated to the seal that she was in trouble.

"We finally caught up to you brats. You guys are weaker than we thought, right Gannro?"

Haruka's face turned into one of disbelief. "Gannro? What the hell kind of name is _Gannro_?"

"Pup!" Raijin said to her, his tone revealing how shocked he was at what she said.

"What did you say to me you brat?" The man who was probably Gannro stepped out from the group.

She gave him a shrug and took a step back. "It's true though; it's a pretty weird name." She pointed a kunai at him. "You have to admit that at least."

"Why you-" He was never able to finish his sentence because at that moment, the man that was feared throughout the Shinobi Nations had used his Hiraishin to teleport himself to where his students were.

When he saw the group of menacing Kiri-nin in front of his students who looked like they'd been through hell, the only thought on his mind was _kill the enemy_.

And within seconds, Minato had killed the group of Kiri-nin.

* * *

"Rin, what happened?" Minato asked his student as he stared at the poorly written seal on her stomach.

"I was kidnapped…and that all I remember." She said to him, her face pale. He shook his head. He already knew what this seal contained and it was obviously a Bijū, something that worried him greatly.

"Well, be thankful that Haruka used the Kunai when she did." Minato drew a temporary seal over the original and activated it with his chakra; he stood up and looked at the rest of his students. "That seal was very unstable and could've broken at any moment."

"R-Really?" Rin asked from behind him, fixing her shirt.

Haruka knew that this was the best plan, Rin's seal was stabilized and Kakashi wouldn't have to stab her.

The only thing missing was Obito.

"Sensei-"

"Rin?!" Everybody went still when the heard the voice, it was one that they hadn't heard in months, a voice that belonged to a person that should've died. "Minato-Sensei?"

Minato immediately flew into action; he grabbed all of his students and Raijin behind him and stood in front of them, his body ready for a fight.

"Sensei, it's me-"

"Who the hell are you?" He asked the person standing in front of him. It was enough to kidnap his student and make her into a Jinchūriki but to disguise as his dead student?

Minato was at the limit with his patience. "I won't repeat myself."

"I'm serious!" The boy pulled down his hood and it revealed a person who looked exactly like Obito. "_Please_."

"Stay away or I won't hesitate to kill you-"

"OBITO!" Haruka suddenly shouted out from behind Minato. She already knew who it was and by being able to smell his scent that was when she was certain it was the same Uchiha. Evading her Sensei's grasp she jumped onto the boy, tears streaming down her face. Obito fell backwards, kind of shocked at the reaction of his white haired teammate.

"Haruka-"

"This is Obito Sensei, it is." She said as she pulled away, tears streaming down her face. Haruka looked at her teammates and realized how much she had changed, how much she actually cared about them.

"O-Obito?" Rin asked quietly.

"Are you okay Rin?" Obito asked her. She nodded her head and did the same thing Haruka did to him, she ran towards Obito and jumped onto him.

"Y-You're alive, you're a-alive Obito." He wrapped his arms around her and nodded his head. He felt tears stream down his face and he buried his face into her hair. Rin was safe. Madara was wrong, he wouldn't go back. He had no need too, being in Tobi had somewhat healed his destroyed arm which meant that he had a new one for some odd reason. Although half is body is made out of something weird and he may be weaker than before but Obito knew one thing.

He was home again.

Minato stood still as he watched his students reunite with his lost student. Minato knew now that Obito was who he was saying he was by sensing for his chakra. Something had been altered but Minato could tell that it was him. He looked to his right and stared at Kakashi, the only person not standing over by Obito.

"What's wrong Kakashi?"

Kakashi furrowed his forehead and looked up at his sensei, not sure on how to word his sentence. "Something was off about Haruka… It was as if she knew what had happened."

Minato's eyebrows rose. "I thought she was with you the whole time?"

Kakashi shook his head. "She came halfway through us running away. She completely ignored me and first and went straight for Rin's seal."

"Oh…"

"I'm not accusing of her anything, no no no. It's just that it's weird, it was like she…_already knew._" Kakashi took a deep breath. "Look at her reaction with Obito, she didn't seem as surprised as everyone else."

"What are you saying Kakashi?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she has visions of the future." Minato was about to scoff at that when he remembered something about Haruka's family. If he remembered correctly, the head seer was someone who could see the future and see prophecies like the Ōgama Sennin.

For all Minato knew, seeing visions of the future could be a special power of Haruka's, a side effect of being a prophesized child.

"But I don't know, she may just be being the weird person that she is." Kakashi said. Finishing the subject with that, he realized that it was time to welcome his former teammate back. Kakashi gave Minato a smile and walked over to where Haruka, Rin, and Obito were standing.

"You kept your promise Hatake, you protected them both." Despite their differences in almost everything, Kakashi looked at the Uchiha and gave him a genuine smile –even if his mask was hiding everything the crinkle next to his eye let people know he was actually smiling.

"I promised Obito… Didn't I?"

* * *

**A/N: **_You may or may not have realized that I was having trouble with this chapter; after all it's been over a week since I last updated. Not to mention that this chapter's is barely over 2000 words… (Story wise) This is actually one of the worst chapters I've ever written (I think so anyways). I'M SO SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I SWEAR THAT THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE BETTER. I might come back to this chapter later to revise this chapter, but until then I guess this will have to do. I never actually wanted this chapter to end up like this; I had to rewrite this chapter so many times until I finally gave up and realized that this was the best chapter I had written. Oh my god, you don't understand how hard it was to publish this chapter, I'm so sorry guys._

_I hope you can forgive me for it._

_Anyways, just a heads up the next chapter will either be a mini filler chapter __**or **__a timeskip that'll go straight into canon. I still haven't decided yet._

_Hope you guys didn't think __**too**__ bad about this chapter! I CAN'T EMPHASIZE HOW SORRY I AM ABOUT THIS CHAPTER._

_Well, I recommend __**Naturally**__ by __**yuugiri**__, it's a SaixIno one-shot that got me hooked onto that pairing, it's so well written and I just fell in love with it xD The author describes Sai's character so well and I usually can't find stories with him written well._

_Anyways, I swear that the next chapter won't be a long of a wait as this one!_

_Until next time!~_


	26. Birth

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**Life throws you into the unknown and you feel like you're out there all alone,**

**These are words that every girl should have a chance to hear**

**There will be love, there will be pain**

**There will be hope, there will be fear**

**And through it all, year after year**

**Stand or fall I will be right here**

**For you."**

_Dear Daughter_ by Halestorm

* * *

**Birth**

Obito was currently lying down on a hospital bed, Minato-Sensei's personal ANBU stationed outside his room. "Are you sure you're okay?" I asked.

"For the fifth time, yes, I am fine. Kami, you're worse than Rin." He said. I stood up and smiled at him.

"I'm sorry, just until a week ago I thought you were dead so…"

"…I should've had that coming."

"You should've." I walked over to the closed door. "Well, it's my turn to make dinner so I'll be leaving then; if I make it too late Kakashi gets all pissy about it."

Obito sat up in his bed. "Is Rin around? If she is can you tell her to meet me?"

"Sure, I gotta go. Bye!" I said to him as I left his room. I stuck my hands in my pockets and walked down the hospital hallway, I was the only person here. I already visited my mom earlier so the only thing to worry about was Sensei's meeting. Ever since Obito's been back I feel like everybody's happier, sure Rin had to get her whole entire seal redone –with the wonderful help of Kushina-neesan and Sensei- and she had to get used to the fact that her career as an iryo-nin was over, I think she's taking that harder than knowing that she's a Jinchūriki. But now that Obito's here they're always talking, becoming even closer than before.

If they're happy, then I don't really care. The people that I care about are safe now, that's the only thing that matters.

* * *

_**January**_

* * *

"Sensei, you said you wanted to see us?"

"Actually yes." Minato-Sensei stood up and gave us a smile, one that was full of happiness and joy. Rin, Obito, and I were all standing in front of his desk in the Hokage office. He just stood there, staring at us with his smile.

"Well, what's the news?" I asked.

He clapped his hands together. "I'm going to be a father!" We all stayed silent, our eyes revealing how shocked we were.

"T-That's great Sensei!" Rin congratulated him. I just stood there, realization going through my head. Naruto's going to be real.

"Does Kakashi know?" I asked Minato-Sensei. I rarely see him anymore since he moved out. I personally thought that Kakashi should've stayed but he gave some bullshit excuse about privacy and ANBU.

"Yeah, he knows." Minato lowered his voice. "He's guarding Kushina because of reasons."

We all knew about Kushina-neesan's predicament, she's a female Jinchūriki which meant that her pregnancy was a little more dangerous than the average female. We all found out from Kushina-neesan herself after Rin became the Sanbi's Jinchūriki.

"ANBU right?" Sensei gave me a glare before returning to his normal happy self.

"You're not supposed to know." Obito started laughing, confusing Sensei. "What's so funny?"

"Almost everyone knows that he's in ANBU Sensei thanks to a certain spandex wearing person." Minato-sensei groaned and sat down in his chair.

"I don't know why I even bother."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Then don't."

"Anyways, I'm not supposed to tell anyone because of her status but I thought that you guys are trustworthy.

"Thanks for the trust Sensei."

"Well, I need to get back to work. Don't forget, we're having Christmas dinner together this year."

"Got it!" After saying our goodbyes to Sensei we all walked out of the tower.

"How are you guys lately?" I asked Obito and Rin as we walked towards the dango shop.

They looked at each other and then back at me. "We're good actually. Fugaku-san's making me watch over Itachi and Mikoto-san because she's pregnant."

"I'm getting training with Kushina-san about how to control its power." Rin said to me.

I sighed and placed both of my hands behind my head and looked ahead.

"You guys are doing training or doing something cool while I just take missions from the desk. Even Kakashi's doing something important."

Rin giggled. "You'll be fine Haruka; you're taking A-rank missions aren't you?" I turned my head towards her.

"Still, it gets boring. Sensei won't give me anything but protection missions."

"Wait, aren't those C-rank?"

I groaned. "You'd think that but nope. All the people I have to guard are snotty rich people who only talk about split ends or broken nails."

Obito gave me a weird look. "Don't all girls think that?"

"If I think about stuff like that why would I be a shinobi Obito?" I shook my head. "Think about it."

"Oh." I playfully smacked his arm as we walked into the dango shop. We all sat down at our usual table when Gai came running up to us with his usual self.

"Hello my rival's youthful teammates!" I waved at Gai and turned my head back to the menu. I wonder what I want, maybe I should get the usual but at the same time I really want something sweet…

"Asuma, Kurenai!" I looked up from the menu and saw the two walking towards us, a smile on both of their faces.

"Hey guys." Asuma sat down. "Where's Kakashi?" All of their eyes turned to me.

"What?" I asked.

"You're usually around Kakashi a lot; don't you know where he is?"

I shook my head and put down the menu. "I have no clue. After Kakashi moved out of the house I don't really see him around. He's always making excuses about how he's too busy with missions."

"Oh." I shrugged my shoulders and passed the menu to Kurenai.

"Can't help you, sorry."

"Well you might see him today, look who's walking over there." Asuma pointed. I leaned my head a little forward and looked outside, only to see Kakashi in his ANBU uniform walking.

"Dear rival, why don't you join us in dango?" Gai asked. Kakashi looked at us and I let out a gasp. There was absolutely nothing in his eyes; all I saw was a type of darkness that wasn't there before he joined ANBU.

"Kakashi?" He looked away and continued walking, acting as if he didn't see us.

Obito slammed his fist onto the table. "What the fuck is Hatake's problem?"

I slowly stood up, pushing the chair behind me. "I'll be back." I walked out of the store and started following Kakashi until I saw someone with silver hair heading towards the shinobi apartments. I started running even faster, trying to avoid the people in front of me.

"Kakashi!" I shouted out. I saw him freeze for a moment before continued walking.

"Goddamnit Kakashi stop!" I was catching up to him when he suddenly whirled around, almost causing me to crash into him.

"What do you want Haruka?" He asked me in a deadpan voice.

"What do I want? What the hell was that back there?" He sighed and spun around and continued walking back to his new house, ignoring me. "Where do you think you're going?" I caught up to him and said.

"I didn't want to talk, that's it." I grabbed his arm and pulled, making him stop.

"That's not an excuse Kakashi. What's your problem lately? You're avoiding all of us." He ripped his arm from my grasp and started walking up the stairs to his apartment.

"Don't you walk away from me!" I ran up to him and tackled him to the wall.

Our faces were only an inch away from each other but my eyes were narrowed, glaring at him. "What," I hissed. "_Is your problem?!_"

"Nothing Haruka!" He pushed me away harder than expected and I fell back to the rail _hard_, probably bruising that spot in my back.

Okay, _that _was the last straw.

* * *

_Minato_

* * *

Minato sighed and felt like slamming his head on the table. All this paperwork made him go crazy; he just wanted to go home and hug his wife, maybe even eat some of her homemade ramen. But this was what he needed to do, to keep order in the village.

Grabbing his pen Minato raised his pen right above the document when someone came storming into his office.

"Please forgive me Hokage-sama but your students-"

He slowly stood up. "My students?"

The Chunin turned his head down. "We got complaints about a kunoichi and a shinobi fighting and when we checked, the two had…destroyed a room of the Shinobi apartments."

Minato sighed, already knowing who the two were but he asked anyways, just to make sure. "Who were they?"

"Aotomi Haruka and Hatake Kakashi."

* * *

"Can you two tell me," Minato leaned on the desk towards the two preteens in the chairs in front of him. "How do you _destroy_ an apartment?" The two remained silent, Kakashi cradling his arm and Haruka looking down, avoiding his eyes. "Okay, let's try this again. How do you destroy an apartment?" Haruka mumbled something, something that earned her a glare from Kakashi. Not that she noticed. "What?"

"…I said that a building can get destroyed when a certain person is being a…" She trailed off.

"A what?"

"…It's a bad word."

Minato sighed and started rubbing his forehead. "Just tell me Haruka."

She turned red and grabbed her legs. "…An asshole."

Despite the situation he was in Minato burst out laughing, not expecting that. His two students looked at him, shocked at his reaction. After he calmed down he looked at Kakashi and then at Haruka. "Well, you two are lucky that the apartment destroyed was just Kakashi's." Minato stood up and handed the two a piece of paper. "This is the bill. You better find a way to pay it off."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"You're not going to yell at us or suspend us?" Haruka asked, standing up.

"Nope. You two should probably get your wounds checked out though." Minato gave them a smile and sat back down in his chair. "You're dismissed." Kakashi bowed his head and quickly left the room, his face scrunched up in pain from his arm. Haruka on the other hand had to limp out of the office.

Kami, what was he going to do with those two?

* * *

_Haruka_

* * *

"Haruka, I need to give you something." I dropped my book and screamed.

"Sensei, there's a thing called _a door_!"

"Sorry, I also wanted to check up on you because of your leg." I pointed to it and wiggled my toes.

"It's fine." Sensei gave me an apologetic smile and handed me something. I picked my book up and placed it on the table before I stood up to grabbing the envelope. My eyes widened when I saw my name on the envelope in a familiar handwriting that I haven't seen in _years_.

"W-Where did get this?" I asked pretty loudly to Minato-Sensei, lifting up the envelope.

He pointed to it. "I got it the day before your mother left for that mission, the one that injured her."

"Pup?" Our heads turned towards the doorway, Raijin was standing there. "Oh, it was just Minato." He walked towards us and laid down right in front of the couch, next to my feet. "Never mind, I thought something had happened."

"Sorry, maybe I should've used the door instead." I shook my head numbly and continued staring at my name on the envelope. "Your mother made me promise to give you that when you became Jounin." I opened my mouth to say something but he held up his hand. "I know that you've been a Jounin for a few months and I apologize for that, but we've had a pretty hard couple of months, not to mention that I was busy with meetings and stuff about Kushina."

"Yeah, it's fine."

"Well I'll be going, take care Haruka." Patting me on the head like he used too he disappeared, using his Hiraishin probably to either his house or back to the Hokage tower. Slowly sitting down, I opened the envelope and saw a letter in it.

"You okay Pup?" I nodded my head and slowly unfolded the letter that was slightly yellow with age. My hands were shaking, but I could do it.

I needed too.

* * *

_Dear Haruka,_

_I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I never wished for this to happen, I hope you know that. Please don't succumb to the darkness that comes along with the Shinobi way of life. You may be six, almost seven, but I've seen that age turn like that, emotionless. I know that by reading this letter I've died, plain and simple. I have so many things I want to put on this letter but I just can't put it in words._

_It pains me that as your mother I won't be there to celebrate your 20th birthday or get to see you marry. I won't be there to celebrate your birthdays and accomplishments. For these things I'm sorry, I've failed as your mother. But…you're not alone. You have Minato, Kakashi, Raijin. You have them; please don't think that you're all alone with nobody to talk too. _

_I hope that when you're reading this letter you are well past the child years because I made Minato promise to give this to you when you've become a Jounin. But with the war I don't know. But congratulations Haruka for becoming Jounin! The moment I held you in my arms I knew that you were special, made for important things in the world. I wished I was with you when you became a Jounin and I'm not so I'm sorry._

_Haruka, as your mother it's my duty to tell you things that every girl should hear from her mother. Life is hard, I will admit that. It's cruel and painful and just evil. But not everything is like that. For example, when you fall in love. Do you know that there were different types of love? There's one that's reserved for your children and family while there's a type of love that makes you have butterflies in your stomach or makes your head go blank. Falling in love Haruka...it's one of the best things in life. I fell in love with your father and I don't regret that, like I don't regret having you because you are the best thing to ever happen to me. I do hope that you fall in love Haruka; it'll make your life hundreds of times better. Man or woman, I hope that this certain person makes you happy._

_I will forever love you my dear baby girl, you've become my purpose in life, my light in the dark. I love you so much; this little flimsy paper can't explain how much I do. Please stay strong; please don't let my death change you too much._

_I love you Haruka. Thank you for everything._

_Love,_

_Your mother_

* * *

_**March**_

* * *

I sat on my bed, the fight I had with Kakashi said to me still fresh in my memory

"_**You haven't seen what I have Haruka, being in ANBU changed everything. I've killed dozens of people, even children!"**_

"_**It won't help if you keep it all in Kakashi!"**_

"_**I'll deal with it! I'm surviving right now, aren't I?"**_

"_**By ignoring the people close to you? Don't be a dumbass Kakashi!"**_

"_**Because I can tell people about my missions, I can tell people about those I've killed. Right Haruka? Right?"**_

I clenched my hands on my pants and closed my eyes; I could feel tears forming in them. That was the last time I talked with Kakashi. He's been avoiding me, probably protecting Kushina-neesan.

"Pup, you okay?" I looked up and saw Raijin looking at me, worry in his eyes.

I so desperately wanted to say yes, that I was okay. I wanted to say that everything was fine, that I wasn't panicking about losing my best friend.

But no, I wasn't fine.

I shook my head and turned my head back down.

"Pup, it'll be fine." Raijin walked over to where I was. "Haruka."

I tried to keep my tears in, I really did, but they just…fell. I looked up and wrapped my arms around Raijin, my hands clenching into his fur.

"It'll be fine Haruka." I cried even harder.

I lost my best friend that day. Whatever happened in between him joining ANBU and that fight on that day the old Kakashi that I knew was…gone.

* * *

_**October**_

_Seven months later…_

* * *

I woke up screaming.

"Haruka, it's okay! You're fine!" I whirled my head around and saw Raijin staring at me.

Numbly, I nodded my head and turned my head towards the calendar next to my bed. Minato-Sensei and Kushina-neesan wasn't dead, they were still very much alive.

October 10th.

I know that Naruto was going to be born today; Minato-Sensei had told us that. I saved Obito and prevented Madara from brainwashing him and yet… I feel that something's wrong today, something's really off. Shaking my head I got up from my bed and got dressed. I finished getting dressed for the day and was already starting on my breakfast when I heard someone knocking on my door.

"Pup, go get that."

"I know that." I got up from my chair and walked down the hall to the door.

"Haruka!"

"I'm coming, calm down." I opened the door and saw a very excited Rin standing in front of me. "Rin? What are you doing here-" She pushed past me and kept walking. "Uh Rin?"

"Kushina-san just left! She's going to have Naruto soon!" I gave her a smile and sat down in the chair and continued eating my breakfast or lunch, whichever one you want to call it. "Aren't you excited?"

"Sure." I swallowed the last of my food and I stood up, placed my empty bowl into the sink before I spun around. "Rin… How's Kakashi lately?" Rn's eyes softened before she gave me a bittersweet smile.

"I actually don't know. I haven't seen him in weeks." I looked down.

"Oh." I sighed and put on a smile. "Oh well, let's go walk around. I have nothing better to do anyways."

"Why don't we go see Minato-Sensei before he leaves for Kushina-neesan?"

"He's still here?"

"Yeah, he's in the Hokage Office getting ready and finishing last minute paperwork."

"Huh, why the hell not. Let's go." I grabbed my hitai-ite and started walking for the door. "Raijin, we're leaving! Come on!" He stuck his head out from the living room.

"Where you goin' Pup?"

"We're going to go see Minato-Sensei."

"I'll go with you. I have nothing better to do anyways." I smiled and placed my hands behind his ears to scratch a spot that he can't reach and loved to be scratched in. Both Rin and I started laughing when Raijin started to thump his leg. I moved my hands away a few seconds later and patted him on his head. "Let's go."

When we reached Minato-Sensei's office we could hear yelling coming from it.

"Danzo, I've told you before and I'll tell you again. No means no!"

"Minato-"

"I'm sorry but it looks like we have visitors." Rin and I looked at each other but I shrugged and opened the door anyways.

"Minato-Sensei!" I shouted out quite happily despite the other person in the room.

"Tch." Danzo walked out of the room, displeasure obvious on his face.

"What was that all about Sensei?" Rin asked. Minato-Sensei sighed and sat back down, his face looking even more tired than usual.

"Just some things. Now, what can I do for you guys?"

I shrugged my shoulders and leaned against Raijin. "Nothing really, we just came by to say good luck and stuff because today's the day right?" He gave us a smile and started fixing the papers on his desk.

"Yes, I'm so happy!" He turned in his chair. "I'm going to be a father!"

I started laughing. "You look like a child doing that Sensei." Rin giggled as she started playing with her hair. Sensei stood up after the chair stopped moving and fixed his vest.

"Well, you guys caught me at the right time. I'm right about to leave." He walked around his desk and motioned for us to follow him. I looked at Rin and then started following Sensei.

"When do you think you'll be back?" He shrugged and opened the doors.

"After everything's been stabilized." Rin was smiling and giggling.

"I'm so excited to see little Naruto-kun. He'll look just like you Sensei, I can feel it."

Minato laughed and ruffled her hair. "Thank you Rin." I stood there, next to Raijin.

Something was off, _very off_. Sensei must have noticed because he placed his hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring smile. "It'll be fine Haruka, there's nothing to worry about. Okay?"

"Are you sure?"

He nodded his head. "Yes." After patting my shoulder he turned around ready to leave for Kushina.

I didn't know what came over me but I grabbed his vest and gave him a hug. It must have shocked Minato-Sensei because he froze but he chuckled and wrapped his arms around me a few seconds later.

"Please be safe Sensei." I tightened my grip, burying my face into his vest.

"I promise Haruka. Don't worry, we'll be back in a few hours and you'll be able to see little Naruto." Nodding my head, I pulled away from him.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me."

"It's fine, you're just worried." I gave him a smile.

"Take care you two, okay? Don't get into any trouble for the next few hours because I'm not going to be here to get you out of it." We both nodded our heads and watched him disappear, using the Hiraishin to go where Kushina was.

Kami, why do I have such a bad feeling about today?

* * *

_A few hours later…_

* * *

"Pup, something's wrong." I turned around with dango in my mouth, wanting to reply to Raijin but not able too. I swallowed the food and cocked my head.

"What?" Rin turned around and gave Raijin a weird look.

"Something in the air is off…" He gave a sniff and let out a growl.

"You're worrying too much." I jumped over the half drunken guy on the floor and continued walking.

"I swear, something's not right." I turned my head and made a face to Rin, not noticing where I was walking.

"Haruka, look out!"

"What?" I turned around and slammed myself right into a chest. The person fell backwards and it caused me to fall with them. I opened my eyes and looked up, only to see the eye of a familiar person that I grew up with, a person that I've been avoiding for a few months. My eyes widened and the words I was about to say disappeared.

"Haruka…"

"I'm so sorry!" I placed my arms on his chest and tried to stand up but when I was half way there was suddenly a large sound and the ground started to shake, causing me to fall again onto Kakashi. The wind was suddenly blowing hard all around us and I felt Kakashi place his arms around me. After the wind died down there was a large roar and we looked up to see a large fox destroying the buildings all around.

"The Kyuubi…" I breathed out. Kakashi pulled me up and was looking at Rin, Gai –who was next to Kakashi at the time, Raijin, and I. Whatever happened between us had been pushed at the back of our minds because there was only one thing on all of ours.

Something had happened to Kushina.

"W-We need to do something!" I shouted out over the Kyuubi's roaring.

There was no way this was supposed to happen, Obito was babysitting Itachi and Sasuke today, Madara should've died somewhere underground!

What the hell, he shouldn't have been able to do this!

Oh my god, _oh my god_, they're going to die! They're going to die and we won't be able to do anything!

"Haruka!" Someone said, but it sounded so far away, I couldn't hear them from the pounding in my head.

"Haruka, get up!" I looked up and saw Rin holding my shoulders. Nodding my head, I stood up looking around at everybody.

"You guys, gather immediately in the guardroom!" A Jounin that I knew that working at Interrogation shouted out to us.

"Why is that?" Kakashi asked as he pushed us towards the opposite direction of the Kyuubi.

"Sandaime Hokage's orders." He nodded his head and started running towards that direction.

Minato-Sensei…what happened?

After I calmed down I realized that by going to the guardroom we'll be trapped, the guards won't let us leave. This means that we won't be able to do anything.

"Rin, we can't go to the guardroom!" She turned around and stopped running, looking at me like I was crazy. "What do you mean we can't go there?"

"They're going to make us stay there, they won't let us leave! We won't be able to help Minato-Sensei and Kushina-neesan!"

"Pup, we can't do anything! It's the goddamn Kyuubi!"

Kakashi walked up to me and grabbed my arm. "He's right Haruka; we should just follow Hiruzen-sama's orders." I scowled and ripped my arm from his grasp.

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do anymore. You can't just walk into my life again and start telling me stuff like that." I turned around, back towards where the Kyuubi was. His jaw was open and in front of him was a large ball of pure chakra but standing on one of the stone heads was Minato-Sensei.

"There, that's where Sensei is!" I started running, not caring if anybody was following. I heard Kakashi curse and tell Raijin to make sure Rin and Gai continued going to the guardroom before he started to follow me.

"Haruka, stop-" We both stopped running when the Kyuubi was suddenly pushed outside of the village, somewhere into the forest.

That's the direction I needed to go in. I started running, following the path the Kyuubi made as he was being pushed. Kakashi continued after me, still trying to get me to stop. As if I'd listen to him right now.

By the time I got to where the Kyuubi was I was so tired, I didn't realize how much Chakra I had been expending while running, my legs were sore and I was out of breath.

"Haruka, we should be heading back. It's too dangerous-"

I slowed to a stop in front of the blue barrier surrounding whatever happening in it.

"Minato-Sensei!" I shouted out. I started pounding on it and I saw him look up in shock before mouthing something. "No, no no no no!" I narrowed my eyes and noticed that he was placing something onto…a bed? No wait, that can't be a bed, it has candles all over it which means that Naruto as going to get sealed. I looked to its left and saw Kushina-neesan yelling something at Sensei, gold chains sprouting from her back and all wrapping all around the Kyuubi. I fell to my knees, my fists sliding down the barrier as I watched, I think Kakashi placed his hands on my shoulders but I didn't really pay attention, I could rip my eyes away from Minato-Sensei and Kushina-neesan because I knew what was going to happen. Sensei went through some handseals that I didn't know before something started hovering above him; Kushina was screaming something to him and I couldn't catch on to what she was saying. I turned around and grabbed Kakashi's arms. "Do something Kakashi, they're going to die!"

"I…" I turned back around and continued watching, hopeless because I couldn't do anything. The thing in the mask grabbed the Kyuubi and pulled it into Minato-Sensei, I saw him grimace of pain before he started saying something to Kushina-neesan. The Kyuubi shrunk to half its size and the chains surrounding it loosened.

"NO!" I pounded on the barrier and watched in slow motion as the Kyuubi sprang forward, ready to kill Naruto. Sensei and Kushina-neesan jumped forward and impaled themselves on the nail that would've killed Naruto. My mouth opened in a silent scream as I started crying, not even feeling Kakashi grip my shoulders tight enough to where it would leave a bruise tomorrow.

They said something to Naruto before the Kyuubi disappeared into him, Kushina-neesan and Minato-Sensei falling to the ground. I looked up and noticed that the barrier was disappeared, as soon as it fell to the ground Kakashi and I sprang forward, ready to help either of them.

"Minato-Sensei!" I fell to where he was laying, a large gaping hole where his stomach was.

"H-Haruka…" He raised his hand to my cheek and gave me a bittersweet smile. "I'm…sorry." He coughed and his hand fell to the ground, when I looked at his face I noticed that his once bright blue eyes were now dull, lifeless. I looked up and saw Hiruzen-sama standing where Kushina-neesan was.

"His name is…Naruto. Please…take care of him…"

I looked back down to Sensei and held onto his hand even harder.

He's dead. I could've stopped it and he's dead, it's all my fault.

A hand was suddenly on my shoulder and I spun my head around only to see a person from ANBU staring at me. "Why are you here? You should be with the others back in the barrier."

"I…" I couldn't think of anything and I looked to the man's right and saw Kakashi walking over to where I was. He must've been talking to Hiruzen-sama.

Kakashi grabbed my arm and pulled me up and I saw Hiruzen-sama walking up to us. "Bird, it's okay. Let them go for now." The ANBU nodded his head before directing orders to the others.

"Haruka…" I looked up and I didn't realize how much I was crying. I raised my hands to my face and tried to stop the tears but failed.

"Minato-Sensei… Kushina-neesan…" When I finished saying their names I was sobbing. Someone was holding me in their arms but I didn't care.

They were dead; the two who were my parental figures, the two that I loved so much were dead,

And it was all my fault.

* * *

**A/N: **_Phew, that was a tough chapter. Man, I really felt sad writing this chapter because of what happened in it. I loved these two characters and I just…wow._

_SO PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! PLEASEEEE!_

_I know that you may not have wanted this but it happened! It may have been confusing with the time skips and probably annoying with all the cuts and I apologize! DON'T HATE ME!_

_I actually don't have much to say other than to please leave a review and a follow/fav._

_Uh...I recommend **Fireborn **by **FireShire**. It's a KakashixOc story that's pretty angst and I just love it because I'm weird like that!_

_Until next time my dear readers~!_

_P.S. Please forgive any mistakes, I don't really have enough time to actually fix EVERY single problem, especially if I can't find it._


	27. Hope

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**When you keep hurting someone, you do one of three things. Either you fill them up with hate, and they destroy everything around them, Or you fill them up with sadness, and they destroy themselves. Or you fill them up with justice, and they try to destroy everything that's bad and cruel in this world. "**

Nick Lane, _In Darkness_

* * *

**Hope**

* * *

_Three days after Kyuubi Attack_

_**October 13**_

* * *

It was raining. The rain wasn't falling too hard but it wasn't falling to lightly either; it was the in-between, the kind that made your day depressing, that made you question every little choice you made in your life.

Today was that kind of day.

A crowd of people, both shinobi and civilians alike, were wearing the formal clothing for mourning. They were all standing in front of several photos of shinobi that had lost their life defending the village from the Kyuubi, but one photo stood out the most.

It was the photo of Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage.

From the crowd you could hear quiet sniffles to loud sobbing and one of them happened to be a student of the late Hokage, Nohara Rin. The brown-haired girl didn't bother hiding her tears; in fact she embraced them because it helped distract her from the pain of losing two people that she loved, Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. On her right comforting her was Uchiha Obito, another student of the late Yondaime Hokage. His arms wrapped around Rin, trying to ease the girl's pain. To Rin's left was Aotomi Haruka, one of the students that Minato taught years before he received a Genin team. Looking at the girl you wouldn't be able to tell that she was mourning, she had all her emotions wiped from her face, it was blank, closed off. But if you paid attention and looked closer you would see that Haruka was clenching onto her partner wolf's fur, allowing an outlet for her pent up emotions.

This didn't go unnoticed. Despite avoiding the girl for the past few months Hatake Kakashi couldn't help but worry for his former teammate, he knew it was his fault for deteriorating their friendship. Hell, he blamed himself to this very day. And Kakashi knew that he didn't have any right anymore to comfort his grieving friend, he lost that right when he stopped talking to Haruka after their fight a few months back. That's why he remained standing next to his friend, Maito Gai. But what Haruka never knew was that he never stopped caring for her like what she thought, he will _always_ care for her. As he came home from his ANBU missions Kakashi would always stop by at his old home that he had shared with Haruka and check for her chakra to make sure she was safe, and then he would continue walking home. Kakashi knew he was a coward, avoiding her so he wouldn't have to look at her, but he never stopped caring and he never will.

* * *

_Five days after Kyuubi Attack_

_**October 15**_

* * *

The Council was currently standing in the Hokage's office to talk about what will happen to the Yondaime's son, Namikaze Naruto. A few hours back, former Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen stated that because Konoha was in a state of emergency he would reinstate himself as Hokage. Almost no one disagreed since he had been a good Hokage, but one person did not agree to this and tried to defy Hiruzen of the title of Hokage. This man was Shimura Danzo, one of the people standing in his office, a member of the Council.

Hiruzen was currently sitting in a chair holding Naruto.

"Hiruzen, what are we going to do? Who will take care of the baby?" Looking down at the baby in his arms he couldn't help but feel sadden that it wasn't Minato or Kushina holding their child.

"By law, Naruto's guardianship should go to Jiraiya since he is the boy's Godfather." He added. "But Jiraiya isn't here to claim guardianship so then it will have to go to Minato's students." Hearing this Danzo quickly stood up and placed his hand on his chest.

"Let me raise the Jinchūriki Hiruzen-"

"Absolutely not Danzo." Hiruzen immediately countered because he knew that all his former teammate wanted was a weapon to use for his ROOT.

"But Hiruzen-"

He shook his head and came to a decision that he knew Homura and Koharu would agree with. "I have decided to let Minato's students to decide for themselves if they want to take care of Naruto or not."

"And if they don't?" Danzo asked.

"He will go to the orphanage when he is old enough."

"Uchiha Obito will not be allowed to adopt the boy though." Koharu stated. "It would seem as if we are letting the Uchiha Clan itself adopt the boy."

"He is right Hiruzen; there would be uproar from the other Clans. We cannot allow that."

Hiruzen sighed. "Then we shall notify him of that. But the other three will still have a choice because the Nohara's are a civilian clan while the only remaining Hatake would be Kakashi. Aotomi Haruka has no family in Konoha, only her mother who still remains to be in a comatose state."

"I will be changing the subject but if the boy is to be sent to the Orphanage we must do something." Koharu stood up, getting the attention of everyone in the room. "He will be vulnerable to attacks because of his father's legacy, if they find out that the former Yondaime had a child I guarantee that there will be assassination attempts placed on this boy."

Hiruzen knew this and had thought about what to do and despite not wanting too, he knew that his choice would be the best. "We will change his last name right here. Even if one of Minato's students agrees to take care of Naruto they too will be susceptible to attacks."

"Then what do you suggest we change it too?"

Hiruzen traced the whisker marks on Naruto's cheek. "His mother's last name."

"Uzumaki?" Homura pushed up his glasses. "That's a good choice."

"From this day on, you'll be known as Uzumaki Naruto." Hiruzen said affectionately to the baby boy in his arms.

* * *

_One week after Kyuubi Attack_

_**October 17**_

* * *

Hiruzen was standing over the crib that contained Naruto, watching the baby boy sleep peacefully when he heard the knock on his office door, a knock from a person that he had been waiting for a while. "Come in." The door slowly opened revealing a certain white haired teen. "Haruka, please sit down." He said to her as he sat down in his own chair, facing Haruka. He summoned her here because she was the last person as Minato's student that he hasn't asked. All the others said that they couldn't take care of the baby. "I summoned you here-"

"Sorry to interrupt you but I know why you summoned me here." Haruka looked to her right, towards the crib. "…You're here to ask me about my guardianship towards…_him_."

Easing back in the chair, Hiruzen nodded his head. "Yes."

Haruka placed her hands on her knees and leaned forward, hiding her face from him. "Hokage-sama, I am so sorry but-"

"Before you make any rash decisions, at least see Naruto." He gave a sad smile towards the obviously mourning teen. "Kami knows Minato and Kushina are wanting for you to see him."

Hearing these words caused something in Haruka to give away, it caused her to start tearing up because she _knew_ that Minato lovedhim so much, she _knew_ that Kushina loved him_. _But despite these things and knowing about the future, she couldn't help but let her emotions get in the way of how she really felt about everything that's happened.

"Please Haruka, it's the least you could do." The Hokage said. Nodding her head she stood up and slowly walked towards the crib. With every step she took Haruka could feel her heart beat harder. She didn't blame _him_; no of course she couldn't even if she wanted too. It would be a disgrace to Minato and Kushina's death.

There was only one step Haruka had to take until she reached the crib and she was regretting her decision immensely. Haruka knew that in a different time, in one where she actually changed something, she would be holding _him_ in a totally different situation. But she was a coward and didn't want to take that _one_ step, but she did anyways. Closing her eyes she placed her hands on the side of the crib and gripped it hard, trying to get her racing heart under control.

_He_ wasn't the Kyuubi; Haruka knew that from day one. She knew _his_ future and yet she was too scared to face the reality of it, that if she –or someone else- didn't take care of _him_ he would grow up neglected, unwanted.

Bracing herself Haruka slowly opened her eyes, only to break down whatever resolve she managed to make within herself. When she opened her eyes she expected _him_ to be sleeping, but he wasn't. _His_ eyes were open, revealing a pair of cerulean blue eyes that was the exact same color as his father's while their shape was his mothers.

_He_ made a sort of snorting sound that newborns make and before she knew it, Haruka had placed her hands in the right areas to pick _him_ up. Slowly she lifted _him_ up into her arms. Looking into his cerulean eyes she could help but realize how…innocent he was. It wasn't as if Haruka thought _he_ wasn't, she fully heartedly knew that the little boy in her arms was innocent. Looking into _his _eyes Haruka couldn't help but let out a tiny sob.

She hated herself for not doing anything to stop it, even if Obito had been in Konoha and not with Madara she still could've done _something_. She hated herself for being too weak to even say a name because then that would mean she was accepting their deaths.

She hated herself for not being strong enough to take care of _him._

Hearing another snort from him helped Haruka laugh a little, the first one she's had all week.

"You were precious to them…" She said as she traced the whisker marks on _his_ cheeks with her finger. "I wish I could do as they w-wanted me too." Taking a deep breath Haruka braced herself because she had made her decision, it was one that she had decided on days ago. "N-Na-Naruto, I'm so sorry." A tear slid down her face.

"I'm so sorry."

* * *

_One month and a half after Kyuubi Attack_

_**November 27**_

* * *

Haruka placed both of her hands against the sides of the sink and stared at herself in the mirror that was still fogged up with steam from the room because of the shower she just took. Wiping the mirror, a girl stared back at her, it someone Haruka couldn't even recognize. It was a girl that had sunken eyes with dark bags under them, her eyes red from the lack of sleep.

_Drip_

Water was pooling on the floor around her feet from her hair. "Happy birthday to me." Haruka said pitifully to herself.

"_**Haruka, your birthday is in two months, isn't it?" Haruka looked up to Minato and smiled.**_

"_**Yup, I'm turning 15"**_

"_**My, you're excited." She turned around to the voice and smiled.**_

"_**Kushina-neesan, you're back!"**_

"_**Was the appointment okay?"**_

"_**Yes. But going back to Haruka's birthday conversation, what do you want to do?"**_

_**Haruka looked surprised and gave it a thought. "I just want to have dinner here, if that's not too much work."**_

"_**That'll be a great idea; we'll have Naruto already too." Haruka smiled at Kushina and Minato.**_

"_**Thank you."**_

The memory of that day passed through Haruka's mind, causing her to feel a fresh wave of pain and sadness come over her.

"Why? _Why?_" She asked to no one over and over again. Tears were falling from her eyes into the sink as she leaned over it, gripping to sides of the sink. Haruka was crying for a few minutes when she realized something.

She was being weak.

Not that crying was weak or anything, but she knew that if she wanted to change something she would actually have to do _something_. Staring at her reflection one more time she vowed she wouldn't fall into…whatever she did for the past month and a half.

The first thing Haruka did was dry her hair and change into her clothes so she could be presentable to the outside world, a world that she hasn't seen in the past few weeks.

"Pup, where are you going?" Raijin asked worryingly from the living room.

"I'm going out. I'll be back before it gets too late." She said as she buckled her shoes on.

"Will you be okay?"

Turning around she saw her partner standing behind her. "I'll be fine Raijin, don't worry." She motioned to him to come to where she was. Haruka wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug, a hug that showed him how much love she had for him. "Thank you for being here for me Raijin." Pulling away she stared at the icy blue eyes of Raijin and saw the love he also had for her.

"Happy birthday Pup." Raijin licked her cheek and sat down, his tongue was hanging out of his mouth and his tail was wagging.

"Thanks." Giving the wolf a kiss on top of his head –she had to stand on her toes to actually reach it because she was on a step below to him; she opened the door and walked out.

* * *

Haruka braced herself as she raised her fist to knock on a door.

_Knock Knock Knock_

She heard the door's lock click and saw the door open, revealing a certain silver-haired teen. "Haruka?" Kakashi stood at the door with no shirt –but still wearing a mask- and a standard pants while his hair was dripping with water. "Why are you here-"

"I'm here to apologize." She said as she looked down. In her hands was a wrapped box.

"Apologize?"

"…Yeah, for my actions these past few months."

Kakashi ran his hands through his hair. "If anyone should apologize, it should be me."

Haruka shook her head stubbornly. "No, I've been acting like a spoiled bitch-"

"Haruka."

"And it's all my fault-"

"Haruka."

"I'm so sorry Kakashi-"

He grabbed her shoulders. "No, it's my fault for blowing up at you like that. _I'm_ sorry."

Haruka's eyes widened before they started filling up with tears. "K-Kakashi…" She started sobbing and before she knew it she was bawling right in front of Kakashi and his apartment. His eye widened when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him. When he slowly hugged her back he could tell that she squeezed him even tighter.

Haruka missed her friend so much. That's why she decided that today was the day she would fix whatever remained of their friendship. As she hugged Kakashi she thought that it must've been weird for him because he was kind of…shirtless.

"I-I got y-you this box of ch-chocolates." She said as she pulled away from Kakashi. They both looked down at the box they could tell that it was slightly crushed from their hug.

"Thanks Haruka." Looking up she smiled and she could tell that Kakashi was too. He placed his hand on her cheek. "I'm really sorry Haruka; I hope you can forgive me."

"Y-You idiot. If I d-didn't forgive you o-or myself then I wouldn't b-be here Scarecrow."

"Happy birthday then Haruka."

Something in both of their hearts changed that day, not that they knew it.

* * *

_Six months after Kyuubi Attack_

_**April**_

* * *

Haruka stood with Raijin in front of the Hokage's door, determined. Opening it she saw the Hokage sitting on the ground, a smoke pipe in his mouth. She kneeled down on one knee and lowered her head while Raijin sat down.

"Hokage-sama."

"What is it Haruka, Raijin?"

Looking up, her eyes moved to the right of him. "We…" She took a deep breath and looked at Raijin. "We were wondering if we could see Naruto." She asked.

"I see no wrong in that. Come, he's awake in his crib."

Smiling at the Hokage they both stood up and walked over to where the baby was at.

She smiled when the blonde baby started babbling to her. Carefully lifting him up she placed him in her arms, near Raijin's head.

"The little runt is cute." He added. "For a human anyways."

"Raijin!"

"Gah!" Naruto grabbed Raijin's whiskers and pulled hard –well, as hard as a baby could.

"Ow!" Raijin almost cursed but Haruka knew that so she gave him a glare.

"I take that back, human babies are not cute." She scoffed and turned her head back towards the baby.

Naruto had grown a lot in the past six month. His blonde hair grew out more and his face lost the wrinkles that a baby had when they were first born. Without those wrinkles she could really tell the resemblance Naruto had to his parents. Naruto had his father's colors while his eye and nose shapes looked just like his mother. Tracing the birthmarks on Naruto's cheeks she could still feel the pain of Minato and Kushina.

"Your parents were wonderful people Naruto." She lifted him up and made a funny face to Naruto causing him to giggle like a typical six month old baby. "They loved you so much." She wiped away a tear from her cheek. "_So_ much." Haruka placed the baby back into his crib and bowed to the Sandaime. "Thank you for letting me visit Naruto Hokage-sama."

Giving her a smile he nodded his head. Bowing one more time she walked out the room, Raijin following behind her.

"Pup, I'm going to go back to the house." She turned around towards the wolf.

"You sure?"

He nodded his head and stretched. "I'm getting old; I like to sleep more than anything it's not like you take a lot of missions now a days."

Haruka shrugged her shoulders and laughed. "You still got a good few years, don't you?"

"Eh, that could be debatable. I _am_ 25 years old if I went with human years." Haruka stopped walking and looked at Raijin in shock.

"_25_?!"

"…What?"

"You're so…old for a canine!"

"Summons age a lot slower than a typical house pet Pup." Raijin flicked his tail. "Well, I'm heading back. Make sure you're not too late coming home."

Haruka walked over to where he was standing and gave him a hug and a kiss on his head. "I'll be back soon."

Turning around she continued walking towards the dango shop where she promised Kakashi she would meet him.

* * *

"Scarecrow! You're dearest bestest friend is here!" Haruka shouted out, catching the attention of the masked teen –and everyone in the room.

"Kami Haruka, why don't you just announce to the whole world where we're at?"

"Oh be quiet." She said as she sat down. Not even bothering to look at the menu she ordered her usual dango and looked back at Kakashi. "So what did you do today?"

He gave her a dry laugh before going back to cleaning his weapons, something he was doing before she came here. "Nice try Haruka, you know I can't say anything to you about the missions I take."

"Booring." She puffed up her cheeks before placing her head on her hand, leaning it against the table. "Where is everyone anyways?"

"Well Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, and Obito have missions. Rin's at the hospital treating patients like usual-" His eyes suddenly widened and he froze, Haruka doing the exact same.

"…Did your voice just-"

"S-Shut up!"

"Your voice…it just cracked!" Haruka started laughing and laughed even harder when she saw whatever showing of Kakashi's face turn red.

"Shut up Haruka!"

"Hahaha! You're voice just cracked!" He pouted and turned away from her, crossing his arms.

"Stop!" Her laughing calmed down to a giggle before it stopped altogether when she saw how embarrassed he was.

"Oh you big baby." Thanking the lady for the dango she placed on in her mouth and started chewing. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about Scarecrow. You're growing into a man-"

"Hey, I'm not getting the talk from someone like you."

"Oh? You've never gotten _The Talk_? Does that mean you don't know how babies are made-"

"Oi! I know that! Minato-Sensei gave me the big…talk…" His sentence came to a stop when he said their Sensei's name. Kakashi could see pain in Haruka's eyes from hearing Minato's name. Of course a wave of sadness came over Kakashi too when he said Minato's name.

"Cheer up Kakashi." Haruka took a deep breath. "They both wouldn't want us to be too sad about them being…gone."

"Of course." Stretching his arms Kakashi nodded and lowered them to where it was on top of Haruka's head. He ruffled her hair causing her to give a sound of annoyance while she continued chewing her dango.

In the past six months her relationship with Kakashi returned back to what it was before they got into their fight. In fact, their relationship has gotten even better than before. This helped both of them in their mourning for Minato and Kushina. It made their pain less…painful.

It made them happy despite all the darkness in their life.

* * *

**A/N:**_ I'm so sorry! This was so late I had planned on uploading this chapter a lot sooner but with finals and studying I just didn't have the time to finish this chapter. I wanted to make this chapter a lot longer because I have like the perfect plan planned out. Hehe._

_God, don't you just hate finals? Because right now I sure know that I do. I have a headache like almost every day and I go to sleep at around 2 am just because I'm doing homework. *tears* I want to cry every time I think about my biology and geometry exam, which happens to be like my worse subject (next to English but that's a totally different story.)_

_So how was this chapter? Was it good? I hope it wasn't _too_ rushed but I really want to get on with the story. It's not the best but I know for sure it's not the worse. Still, I'll go more into detail about Haruka's sadness and mourning and stuff like that next chapter. __So, I have like a __**major**__ question. Like, super._

**Do you want me to continue this story into actual Naruto timeline? I have ideas for the story but I'm not exactly sure if you want me too. And if you guys actually want me too then I'm going to ask if you want me to continue it with this story or upload it into a new story, like a series.**

_I've been debating whether or not if I should and I realized that I should let you guys, my readers, decide! I've come to actually love this story so much and I honor your guy's opinions. 'In Time' has dug its way into my heart and like rooted there. So I __**need**__ you guys to leave a __**review**__._

_On the other note I want to thank you guys for all these favorites and follows! When I first started this story I never expected to get this many, I only expected maybe around 50 at most xD It makes me so happy and like it makes my day so much! So THANK YOU! It makes me even happier knowing that we're getting close to 200 followers; we just reached 150 favorites a few days ago! I can't express how much gratitude I have for you guys; you're the only reason why I even continue this story!_

_Onto other stuff, I recommend __**Guarded **__by __**valxra**__. This one is recommended because unlike most it's about how the main character's the younger sister of Hidan. It's like a totally different twist to the story! xD I actually fell in love with this story because it's like so cool xD SO TOTALLY READ IT!_

_Don't forget to leave a follow and a favorite! Other than that please __**please **__**please review! I NEED IT!**_

_But that doesn't mean don't leave your own opinion on the chapter itself in your review, I was just wanting you guys to add to your normal reviews on your opinions/answers to my question._

_Until next time!~_


	28. Uchiha

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**I love you, I do, but I am afraid of making that love too important. Because you're always going to leave me. We can't deny it. **

**You're always going to leave."**

David Levithan_, Every Day_

* * *

**Uchiha**

* * *

I was walking with Raijin along the road, heading towards Obito's house when I was suddenly bumped into from behind, knocking me down onto the ground.

"I'm so sorry neesan!" I looked to the person on the ground in front of me and saw a boy around the age of nine on the ground. I stood up, the boy in front of me doing the same thing, and gave him a smile.

"It's fine." I was about to ask for his name when another boy walked up behind him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Shisui, what are you doing?" My eyes widened and I stared again at the taller boy. This is...Shisui? _That_ Shisui?

"I'm sorry Itachi but I was just so excited!"

I felt Raijin walk up behind me but I ignored him. "Itachi? Uchiha Itachi?" I asked. He looked up at me, suspicion in his eyes.

"...Why?"

"Hey, don't act so suspicious Itachi!"

"I know your cousin." I gave the two a smile and ruffled Shisui's hair, causing the boy to give me a pout. "Well, just watch out for where you're going next time okay Shisui?" I turned around and jumped onto Raijin's back. "Bye guys!" Raijin started running to Obito's house.

"We're going to be late Pup."

"Eh, we have an excuse. Kakashi can shove his complaints up his butt." Raijin gave me a laugh before he continued running.

When we reached our destination Rin and Kakashi were waiting by the front door, impatience in Kakashi's eye. "You're late."

I jumped off of Raijin's back and rubbed my head sheepishly. "Sorry, I got kinda held up by two boys."

"Uh-huh, sure." I stuck my tongue out at Kakashi and smiled at Rin.

In these past few months we've all changed after..._their_ deaths. It hit us hard, all of us. Especially for Rin. On the outside she seems normal, acting just like usual, but we've known her for two years, almost three. I could sense something bad was going on with her. She stopped living with her parents and got a house in the Shinobi Apartments and not to mention she's gotten a lot skinner. The life in her eyes were gone, replaced with a darkness that just didn't suit her.

"Everything okay Rin?"

"Of course it is Haruka-chan, I'm just tired from the time at the hospital." I knew she was lying from the way she was smelled at the moment but I let it go, realizing that it wasn't the time or place to talk to Rin about it.

"Well, let's see what that dobe wants." Kakashi knocked on Obito's door and a few seconds later Obito himself opened the door, looking _very_ tired.

"Wow, you look like crap Obito." I asked.

"I've been babysitting Sasuke and Itachi for the past week and I'm just _so tired_." I had to hold back a laugh from imagining him being flustered from a crying baby.

"Wait, so why are we here today?"

"You guys are going to help me take care of them!" We all groaned, obviously not thinking that that was the reason why he asked us all here today. Sasuke and Itachi…

"Wait a second, isn't Itachi like seven?"

Obito shrugged his shoulders. "Yup. Mikoto-oba didn't trust him to take care of Sasuke and himself alone-" There was a sudden crying sound from the living room, causing Obito to groan and turn around. "Goddamn it, Sasuke's crying." He left the door open, letting us know to just go in.

"Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm going to leave-" I grabbed Kakashi's arm and gave him a smile, the one that caused whatever showing of his face to pale.

"Oh no you don't, we're going to help our dear teammate _together_, now aren't we?" He remained silent, not answering to my question. "_Aren't we?_"

"Yes!" I let go of his arm and waiting until he rushed into the house. I heard him mutter a not so nice word about me, causing me to sigh. Unbuckling my shoe, I quickly grabbed it and threw it at his head.

"Ow!" I laughed and heard Rin do the same thing, making me very very happy. At least Rin laughed, a few months ago she wouldn't even do that.

"Well, I want to see Sasuke-kun and how much he's grown!" Rin said happily before walking in.

"Well Pup, I'm going to go hunting. I'll be back soon." Raijin said before running off into the forest that surrounded the compound. I sighed and walked through the door until but unluckily I got ran into and knocked to the ground.

Again.

"Oh Kami I'm so sorry-"

I turned around and looked at the boy on the ground next to me. "What the hell-" My eyes widened. "_Shisui?_"

"Oh!" He quickly stood up and brushed his pants. "You're the neesan from earlier!"

"I told you to be careful and watch where you're going!" I gave him a glare before taking off my remaining shoe and standing up, rubbing my back from where he ran into to me. "Why the hell are you even here at Obito's place?"

He looked at me questioningly before rubbing his arm. "I'm staying with Itachi." Shisui looked around until he saw Obito. "Obito-niichan! Where's Itachi?"

"I'm right here." I flipped my head around to the open door and saw Itachi standing there, an expressionless look on his face. Shisui gave him a smile before running towards him, telling him about how he ran into me again. Then there was scream from the living room that sounded like a baby's. I sighed, already feeling a headache coming on.

This was going to be a _long_ day.

My shoe off and the other somewhere around here, I walked into the small living room that Obito had and saw that it was a mess.

"Kami Obito, do you not know how to clean?" I asked, trying to avoid stepping on an empty bag of chips.

"S-Shut up! I'm kind of busy at the moment!" I gave him an _are you serious_ look.

"You're not even doing anything! Rin and Kakashi are currently taking care of Sasuke." His face turned even redder before he started grabbing trash.

"Fine, I'll clean it up! Are you happy now?" Feeling satisfied that he would at least clean this dump he called a home I walked over to where Rin was standing, Sasuke in her arms. The baby was laughing and the funny faces she was making.

It confuses me sometimes whenever I see her like this. She refused to even see Naruto, but always loved to see Sasuke.

"Obito-niichan, where are you?" I looked behind me and saw Shisui walking through the entrance way, Itachi close behind him.

"I'm right here stupid." Obito walked in from the kitchen that was connected to the living room. "What are you even doing here anyways?"

"I'm with Itachi." I sat down on the couch next to Kakashi and stared at what was happening in front of me. Obito and placed his arm on top of Shisui's head and leaned on it, causing Shisui to complain about how heavy he was. In the past few months Obito had grown _a lot_, shooting past all of us, including Kakashi.

"Ita! Ita!" Itachi walked across the room, for once a smile on his face from hearing his little brother's attempt to say his name.

"Get off me Obito-nii!" Shisui shoved him as hard as he could -which was pretty hard, and it caused the both of them to fall, Obito against his bookshelf and Shisui against the coffee table.

"Obito!" Rin handed Itachi Sasuke and quickly ran to him while I stood up and went to where Shisui was moaning from pain, Kakashi quickly behind me.

"What's wrong?" He moved his hand from his leg and there was a pretty large gash on his leg.

"Oh Kami kid, you were just unlucky with how you fell on that table." Kakashi commented on his wound. I slapped Kakashi upside his head before turning back to the little Uchiha boy in front of me.

"I'll heal that for you." I concentrated on my yin chakra and my hand started glowing green with iryo-ninjutsu.

"Since when can you use iryo-ninjutsu?"

"Since a few months ago." I didn't even bother looking at Kakashi. Just because I can do this type of ninjutsu doesn't mean I can do it like Rin, one of the best medic-nins Konoha has right now.

I'm just a beginner.

Remembering what Rin told me I concentrated on imagining the wound closing. After about two minutes- with sweat lining my face, I moved my hand away and instead of a large cut there was a faint pink line. "Done!"

"Thanks neesan! That was cool!" I smiled at him and turned around with a proud grin to Kakashi.

...Well, until he ruined my good mood.

"That took a really long time. Couldn't you do it faster?" I let out a sound of frustration and pushed him to the ground and sat on him, just like ten years ago when we were in my room.

"Shut up Kakashi, I'm still practicing!" I growled into his face. He tried pushing me off but I continued sitting there, taking satisfaction from the struggle he seemed to be having.

"You're an idiot Hatake, you should have known Haruka would do that to you." Obito said as he rubbed his sprained shoulder that Rin just healed.

"Get off me!"

Of course if Kakashi was serious about getting me off of him he'd be able to do it, but he wasn't being that serious at the moment.

"Hey Itachi, can I hold Sasuke?" I turned my head around to ask him but Itachi tightened his arms around his brother before giving me a weird look. "I'm not going to drop him if that's what you're wondering."

"Promise?"

I nodded my head and held my hands out, still ignoring the complaining person that I was sitting under. Itachi slowly walked over to me and placed Sasuke in my arms.

Looking down, I stared at the little Uchiha baby that I was holding and gave him a smile. "Ba!" Sasuke grabbed my hair that was falling around his face and started pulling on it.

"Ow!" Gently taking the hair in his hands out of them I let him play with my finger instead. I swear, babies have something against hair, always pulling on them.

I stuck my tongue at Kakashi and started bouncing him against my lap, letting him do that cute giggle that babies always did.

...Until something started smelling _really _bad.

"Uh Obito?" He flipped his head towards me from the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"I think the baby just took a dump."

"_Oh come on!"_

* * *

I placed my arms across Kakashi and Rin's shoulders, feeling tired from our day with Obito and taking care of kids. "Well today was fun!"

Kakashi gave me a glare before he started rubbing his chest. "You were _sitting_ on me, what made you think I had fun today?"

"Oh come on Kakashi-kun, you know we all had fun! We haven't met up as a team for a while." I smiled at Rin.

"Exactly-"

_Howl_

My eyes widened and I stopped walking. That howl, it was Raijin's whenever he was hurt! "Haruka?" I pulled away from my friends and started running into the forest towards Raijin, wherever he was. The only thing I could do is track his scent.

Raijin would _never_ howl like that unless it was serious, he even told me himself.

"Where are you going?!"

"That howl!" I turned to Kakashi and Rin. "It was Raijin's!" Rin grabbed my arm before I could start running again and despite pulling, Rin had my arm firmly in her grip.

"Let us go with you, if he's hurt I can heal him." I nodded my head. I didn't care, something was wrong with him, I could feel it in my gut. I started running again, avoiding both Kakashi and Rin's eyes because I could feel tears filling in the corner of my eyes.

I couldn't let anyone to get hurt again...I couldn't.

Avoiding all the hanging tree branches and fallen logs, we reached where Raijin was in no time. There, lying all alone on the ground whimpering, was my partner with blood on the ground next to him.

I froze at where I was standing, Kakashi and Rin slowly stopping behind me.

I could smell his anger, his sadness.

His fear.

Hearing a whimper knocked me out of my stupor and I quickly ran to where Raijin was. I fell to my knees, one hand covering my mouth. "Oh Kami, what happened?" My hand hovered over where his chest was, not sure where he was wounded at.

"Pup..." He lifted his head and stared at me with his icy eyes before whimpering and falling back to the ground.

"Raijin?" He remained silent, his eyes closed. The only sign that he wasn't dead was the slight movement of his chest. I looked frantically to my teammates, not even caring about how tears were streaming down my face.

"Rin, do something!" Nodding her head Rin ran to where I was and immediately searched for Raijin's wound. I stood up and stumbled back to give her space, only to bump into Kakashi who happened to be standing behind me.

"I can smell someone's scent here Haruka, someone that I don't know."

I took a deep breath and tried to catch the scent that Kakashi was talking about; underneath the scent of Raijin's blood I could smell another person's blood. This scent...it's so familiar.

"Do you know whose it is Haruka?" Kakashi asked me. I ignored him for a moment, too focused on trying to figure out who fucking dared to touch my partner.

Kami why do I know this scent?

"Haruka-"

I slowly looked up at Kakashi, my voice cracking because I finally figured out who it belonged too. "This scent...it b-belongs to my father." I clenched my fists. "My father was the one that attacked Raijin."

I looked at Raijin on the ground, looking helpless. "I've managed to heal the stab wound in his chest Haruka." Rin said as the green surrounding her hands disappeared. She stood up and faced both Kakashi and I. "He might be out for a few more hours because of the blood loss but other than that, he just needs to be careful for a few more days." I nodded my head and quickly walked over to she was.

"Haruka-" She suddenly stopped talking because I was...hugging her. I never do hugs because I don't really like to touch people, that's why my last hug was when I hugged Kakashi all those months ago.

"Thank you Rin." I tightened my grip. "Thank you." I let go and kneeled down and carefully wrapped my arms around Raijin, not caring about the blood that I was getting on me.

He was safe now, he was _safe_.

"Kakashi, can you help me carry him back?" I asked as I turned around, but only to see an ANBU whispering something to Kakashi.

"Sorry but the Hokage is calling for me." He gave me an apologetic look before disappearing with the ANBU that came to retrieve him.

"Um Rin?"

"Of course Haruka. I'll always help!" Rin gave me a smile before she walked over to Raijin's backside to help carry him.

* * *

_**The next day**_

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay Raijin?"

"Goddamn it Pup for the fifth time, _yes_." I threw a small pillow at his head and fell onto the couch in my living room.

"I'm just worried!"

"I know but Rin healed me up quite nicely." He said to me. He stood up from where he was laying and walked over to where I was sitting; Raijin laid his head on my lap and licked my hand, acting like the little puppy he isn't. "I'm _fine_, alright?"

I sighed and nodded my head. I gently grabbed his head and placed my own on top of his. "You scared me so much." I closed my eyes. "You looked so dead, you were barely moving and there was so much blood there was too much-"

"Pup." Raijin pulled away from my hands and licked my face. "I won't leave you, okay?"

"O-Okay." Giving him one last hug I stood up to cook us some lunch. "What do you want to eat?"

"Don't care."

I shoot him a glare before walking towards the kitchen, Raijin standing by the doorway. "You better not complain about what I'm going to cook then."

"But your cooking sucks Pup, I'm always going to complain." I opened the fridge and looked at what we had.

"We have steak, some vegetable and-" I flew backwards, my nose burning from what I just smelled. "Kami, my nose!"

Raijin tilted his head and sniffed the air. "Rotten cheese?"

I nodded my head, my eyes watering and nose burning. "Uh-huh." I answered, my voice sounding nasal from my hand holding my nose close.

"Hate to be you."

"You're not helping!" I scooted to the doorway and looked at Raijin. "Can we go get some food from the marketplace?"

"Whatever." I stood up, Raijin doing the same, and walked to the front door.

"Will you be fine walking?"

"Kami Pup, I'm not broken!"

"But you were stabbed."

"Shut up."

"But-"

"Just stop Pup, just stop."

"...Alright."

Raijin and I were walking along the stands in the marketplace a few minutes after leaving my house.

Or, whatever remained of it.

After..._the attack_, more than half of the place was destroyed from one of the Kyuubi's tail. Eight months later, part of the marketplace was fixed but the damage was done.

Everybody feared the Kyuubi and in a few years, they'll fear the boy who contains the Bijū.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Food."

"Don't be a smartass Raijin." A mother glared at me because of my use of words. Also probably because her five year old son was next to her but hey, there's a high chance that he's going to go to the Academy and he'll hear _all_ those words there. I'm just giving him a head start!

"Fine. I want meat, like those things on a stick."

"_Thank_ _you_." I walked over to the stand that was selling yakitori.

"Hello, what can I get for you?"

I pulled out my wallet and pointed. "Can I have 5 hearts, 3 livers, um 7 of those chicken thighs?"

The old man started getting what I was asking for while I looked for the money that I owed. "That's a lot of food for someone like you ojou-chan."I pointed to the wolf standing behind me.

"Blame that thing."

"_Hey!_"

"Oops, I meant wolf." I whispered to the old man as I handed him the money. "Keep the change." Walking away, I debated on what I wanted to eat. "What should I eat Raijin?"

"I don't know, don't ask me Pup."

"You're a great help." I stopped when out of all the smells of food surrounding me, I was able to catch one of my favorites. A takoyaki stand!

"Oh no-"

"Raijin, a takoyaki stand!" I rushed to that stand and immediately fell in love -again- with the food.

"Well there goes your money."

"Shh, don't say that."

* * *

_**One week later**_

* * *

I gave Raijin a hug before he disappeared. I let him go back to his pack because today, he couldn't be here. Raijin would try to get me to change my mind of going, but I _had_ to go, the last time I saw him he was still staying with the Sandaime. But I found out froabout two months ago he was sent to the Orphanage.

Making sure I had everything, I left my house and started traveling by jumping from roof to roof. A few minutes went by before I reached the place I wanted to be at and could immediately tell the smell of children. The smell of sweat, drool, and surprisingly some blood. I shunshined inside the Orphanage and inside the room where he was being held in; the blonde baby boy was awake inside a crib, too skinny for my liking.

But it wasn't surprising to see him alone.

It was only his crib inside a pretty decent sized room, only a changing station and a rocking chair that had quite a lot of dusk accumulating on it. There was absolutely _no_ life in this room, it wasn't right, it just wasn't _right_ he was loved so much before this but after the attack everyone hates him why _why-_

"Gah!" The little blonde baby makes a sound, startling me out of my thoughts.

...You know, if I think about it why aren't the ANBU trying to stop me? Aren't they supposed to stop people from hurting him or kidnapping him?

But then again I'm pretty sure more than half of the ANBU protecting him have lost people important to them in the attack.

I walked over to the crib and leaned over to see blue eyes staring at my red ones. "Hello little one." I whispered. My hand hovered over his body, not sure of what to do, but it seemed that he knew. He grabbed my finger and shoved it in his mouth, gnawing on it. I laughed and it must have made him happy because he started chewing on my finger even more. I could feel the slight bumps in his gums, meaning he was teething I think (obviously I read some baby books before he was born.)

"You must be in pain because of your teeth." I whispered to him. I gently pulled out my finger and placing my hands on him, I carefully picked him up.

"You're so alone in here, it's so dark." I carried him over to the unused rocking chair and sat down in it, him in my arms.

"Ba!"

I started rocking in the chair, trying to help him be a little more comfortable.

To let him know that there was someone that cared for him.

Back and forth, the motion was started to calm him down in my arms and it was even calming me down. Soon the movements he was making came to a stop as he became comfortable in my arms. He slowly fell asleep, me continuing to rock in the chair. I looked at the sleeping baby in my arms.

He was so cute, was a baby usually this cute?

"Naruto..."

I will make sure that this little boy in my arms grows up feeling love from at least _one_ person, just so he doesn't grow up unhappy.

* * *

**A/N: **_Guess who finished this chapter and their finals? MUA!_

_God I hate finals._

_Well, I know this chapter is pretty choppy but I just really wanted to publish something and yeah. Well we'll be getting a lot into canon soon so don't worry! At least I managed to include the three Uchiha boys that I love (not so much Sasuke but the other two I do love.)_

_I will admit that this isn't one of the best chapter and for that, I'm like SUPER sorry. But I just needed to get this done! This was a pretty boring chapter but the thing with Raijin getting stabbed will get more into the plot with the next chapters! Hey, at least I introduced the Uchihas! _

_And if anybody's curious some HarukaxKakashi moment's will be coming up soon so don't worry!_

_Schools out so that means more writing for me for both of my stories so don't worry!_

_OMG You guys I wanna cry with the amount of positive reviews from the last chapter I was like *tears* So I have decided that this story _**_will _**_continue! Yay for that!_

_**Gu(il)tless **__by __**chibigoumon**__ is my recommendation for this chapter! It's a great story and I love it. The main character is a twin to Naruto and I love the way she was written._

_Other than that don't forget to leave a review and a follow/fav. If you haven't already!_

_Until next time!~_


	29. New Emotions

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense."**

Jane Austen, _Pride and Prejudice_

* * *

**New Emotions**

I narrowed my eyes and pulled out some shuriken from my pouch. "Hey Scarecrow, hand me that shuriken right there."

"Get it yourself Haruka."

"Just get it for me!"

"You have like three in your hand."

"So? Just go and get the other one on the ground." Kakashi groaned but stood up and walked over to where the kunai was laying on the ground.

"Tell me why I'm here again?" He asked as he handed me the weapon.

"Because I need to get better at my aim." I spread my legs out a little and took a deep breath to calm myself, to loosen my muscles and lower my heart rate. Locking my eyes on the red of the circle, I pulled my arm back and threw as hard as I could.

_Thunk_

I turned towards my friend with a large smile on my face. "See, all the training I did today paid off."

Kakashi scoffed. "You were training for the past hour Haruka, I could hardly call that progress."

I sneered and crossed my arms over my chest. "I'd like to see you try. Accuracy with weapons isn't my best and you know it. I'm far better at close-hand combat to mid-range fighting."

You know if I think back about it, I shouldn't have challenged Kakashi like that because of well, ANBU and all.

Within like the span of two seconds -_two seconds-_ he threw eight of those accursed weapons to the target and of course, they hit the bullseye and stayed attached to the board. He did all of this without _looking_. Instead, he was staring at me with a smirk on his face (you really couldn't tell if he had one or not but I've known him long enough to tell when he was or not).

"You know what Kakashi-"

"What?"

I sighed. "Screw this. Obviously, I'm not going to be as good as you are Mr _I'm-in-ANBU._"

"Well, you're good at close-hand combat." He pointed out.

"_Please_. Compared to a ANBU Captain I'm like a Genin."

"You're a Jounin though."

"A pretty pathetic one if you ask me." I sat down against the tree, Kakashi doing the same thing next to me. "The only reason why I became Jounin is because Konoha was running out of them." Kakashi remained silent next to me, not bothering to change anything I said because he knew that was the truth.

I didn't work that hard at getting the rank that I have right now.

"Quit pouting and train then. That's what you're here to do right?" He said as he turned to me a few minutes later.

I cocked an eyebrow. "You're pretty optimistic all of a sudden."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I try."

...Training, that's what I've been doing for the past few months. After Raijin getting attacked and a mission that went _slightly_ wrong, I realized how...weak I was. I looked up and saw Kakashi standing, his back turned to me.

Well if I was here to train, what's better than an ANBU Captain helping me fight?

I quietly stood up and smirked. Oh, this is going to be _fun_.

I tackled Kakashi to the ground and saw his shocked face beneath me before he used a Kawarimi jutsu to change with a log.

"Goddamn it Kakashi, stay still!"

I was standing alone in a training field while Kakashi was somewhere along the trees surrounding it. He was concealing his chakra, which meant I would need to either sniff him out or listen for any abnormal sounds. I took a deep breath and could smell him-

I quickly whirled around with a speed only a shinobi hand and raised my arms to block a kick. Pushing him back I quickly jumped behind.

"Why are we doing this again?"

"I need to train and you happened to be the only person around Scarecrow."

Gathering chakra around my feet, I smirked before I shot off towards him. He dodged my punch _and_ kick but in turn I blocked the punch he threw behind me. I swung my leg across the ground to trip him but he jumped high into the air. I jumped into the air along with him but with a kick aimed at his midsection. He blocked it with his arm but I quickly threw my weight a little forward for my punch. It hit his face and with his confusion I did a front flip and brought my leg down on his body. I fell to the ground along with Kakashi, but I dropped onto my legs and not my whole body (like him).

When the dust from his fall cleared up, he was standing up and holding his jaw. "And you say you're not good."

"I'm not _that_ good."

"You landed a punch _and_ kick, I say you're pretty good." I shrugged. "Well, I guess it's my turn then."

Then Kakashi did the one thing I just _didn't want him to do._ He moved his hands to his face and raised his hitai-ate, revealing..._that _eye_._

"_...Shit._"

* * *

I was breathing hard, Kakashi doing the same thing underneath me. With our body positions we probably made a plus-like symbol, me sprawling along his stomach on top of him.

"I...fucking...hate you." I muttered in-between the deep breaths I was taking.

Kakashi tried lifting up his head but he failed and let it fall back to the ground. "Same...here." I chuckled before I slid off his body and crawled next to him. I laid back down on the ground and looked up at the sky.

"I think we destroyed the field."

Kakashi looked around and stared at me with his right eye since his left eye was closed. "You're the one who brought out ninjutsu."

"You're the one who brought out the Sharingan!"

"So?"

I growled and poked his cheek. "It wasn't fair. I could never beat you in taijutsu if you used that!" Despite my body's protest, I sat up and forced Kakashi to sit up too. I sat there admiring how much two people could destroy a field when I looked back up to the sky. "What time do you think it is?"

"I don't know." I sighed before realizing something.

We were supposed to meet up at the dango shop with everyone.

"Shit! The dango shop!" I tried to stand up but failed when I realized that with having used most of my chakra in the fight _and_ the big-ass bruise on both of my legs, I was going to have trouble walking.

"I don't think we'll make it Haruka. Not in the state we're both in." I looked around and wished that Raijin didn't choose this day to go see his pack. Why Raijin, _why?_

I motioned with my hands for Kakashi to come closer to where I was. Concentrating my chakra, I moved him to where his back was facing me. "What are you doing?

"I'm healing you." He tried to turn around but I forced him to stay still.

"Why? Heal yourself-"

"You better get over your _people can't touch me_ vibe right now because I'm going too whether you want me too or not." I moved his shirt up and saw that along the bottom of his ribcage it was bruised _horribly_, like something had broken. "But I heard the crack when I broke your rib, pretty sure this comes first Scarecrow." He sighed in defeat and let me continue my healing.

A few minutes of silence went by until I removed my hand, revealing a perfectly healed rib.

"Since when can you heal broken bones?" Kakashi asked as he turned around.

"Since yesterday."

"...What."

I raised an eyebrow before lifting the front of his shirt. "Yeah. Pretty cool right?" I looked back down to his chest and my eyes widened. "I managed to do _this?_" He nodded his head painfully. "Damn, I am _good_." I started laughing and felt a sudden burst of immaturity; I poked the pretty large bruise on his chest.

"Ow!" He grabbed my hand and glared at me. I laughed even harder before I raised my other hand in defeat.

"I won't do it again, I swear!" Giving me a _you better not_ look, he let go of my hand and let me heal him. Sitting in between his legs, I placed both of my hands on Kakashi's chest (because I was getting tired and healing with one hand was getting hard) and started my healing.

Huh, I just realized he had abs.

...Well then.

_Anyways_, we stayed silent for a few more minutes until I healed up most of the cuts and bruises that I had inflicted on the (poor) Scarecrow sitting in front of me. When I pulled my hands away and admired my handiwork, I realized there was a large scar on the side of his stomach.

"Hey, what happened here?" I asked him while I got closer to look at it.

"That?" He asked. Kakashi slightly jumped when I touched it but he didn't necessarily push me away from him. "I was being cocky and didn't pay attention to the enemy in front of me." I traced the scar from the beginning of it to the end.

"You were sliced clean through..."

"Yeah. One of my first missions too." I looked up to ask him a question but when I did, I didn't realize that he was leaning a little down too so that meant our faces were only an inch away from each other. His eye widened but neither of us moved.

"Haruka, Kakashi!" I whirled around and saw Rin standing by the entrance of the field, an angry look on her face.

Shit, I completely forgot about meeting her at the dango shop! I quickly stood up and turned around to get Kakashi but when I did, he was...gone.

The only thing that remained was the wind that still smelled slightly like him.

* * *

_**September**_

* * *

"I'm sorry but we can't fix this for you." The man at the counter said as he looked at the broken Saber and it's pieces.

"Do you happen to know where?" I asked.

"Probably Jin." He pointed down the street. "He runs the shop now since his brother died, but me personally, Ren was better."

I smiled at Hiro. "Thanks." I walked out of the shop, still holding Kakashi's broken saber in my hands.

In literally two weeks, Kakashi's turning 16 and I needed to get him something but then Raijin was like _fix that sword of his, _which led me to realize that he had a great idea.

That's why I was walking down the market to see if anybody could fix the saber; I've been to either six weapon shops that sell and fix weapons but none of them had the special metal on Kakashi's saber.

Goddamn it Kakashi, why do you do this to me?

I walked up to the store that said 'open' and pushed the door open. There was a small bell that told whoever worked here that someone had walked in, and it rang letting Jin (I think) know that I was there.

"Hello, what can I do for you?"

I handed him the saber and the shiny silver pieces. "I was wondering if you could fix this saber?"

"Hm…"

Jin continued examining it, making me even more restless than earlier. "Well, can you?"

He placed it down and started tapping his finger on the surface of the counter. "I can do it, but it's going to cost a lot of money and some time."

...Crap. "How long?"

"Usually people ask how much money before time." He pointed out. "But I would say at least ten days, latest two weeks."

"That's good. So how much is it?"

"150 thousand Ryo."

My eyes widened and I almost dropped the bags that I was carrying. "That much? Why?"

Jin pointed to the weapon. "The metal that this was made out of is chakra conducting metal and it's hard enough to get, but with the rebellions in the Land of Iron it's gotten even harder. Not impossible but just harder." He rubbed his head sheepishly at what was probably my expression. "It's chakra conducting metal miss, they have to soak it in chakra for at least two and a half years until you can actually start using it and even then, you have to be careful to not break the metal or forge it wrong."

Of course, the moment I actually find a place that can fix the damn thing I don't have the money for it. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"Is there possibly any way I can pay you when I come to pick it up? I don't have that kind of money with me at the moment..."

"Of course!" Relief flowed throughout my body and it must have showed on my face because Jin started laughing. "Don't worry, many other shinobis come with the same request as you." He pulled out a paper and wrote something down on it. "I'll definitely have it done by the 14th. Also, since this is a special request I'm going to have to have you come down and pick it up."

"About that, I might be gone on a mission so either Nohara Rin or Uchiha Obito will come and pick it up if you don't mind."

"That's fine, they're just going to have to show identification to tell me that it's them." He handed me the paper and smiled. "Have a nice day." I smiled before turning around but I noticed a picture on the wall and for some reason it caught my eye.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are the people in the photo?"

"Oh, that was Ren and his wife." He did a sad sigh before continuing. "They both lost their lives to the Kyūbi attack and left their daughter alone. I'm taking care of her now."

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Tenten." I managed to hide my shock from realizing that it was a girl from the same time as Naruto.

"Well, thanks Jin. I'll see you soon!"

One thing done today. Now I have to go on a A-Rank mission that'll let me get my hands on some money.

I pushed open the door to the mission desk and saw the Hokage sitting with a few other chūnin's.

"Ah, Haruka, what can we do for you today?"

"I'm requesting an A-Rank mission please."

The Hokage ruffled through some papers before he pulled one out. "Here we go." He quickly read through it before handing it to me. "It's an A-Rank like you requested. Your target is an enemy-nin about Chunin level that has been terrorizing a small farming town right outside of Konoha." I looked down at the reward and I could imagine money falling right into my wallet. The reward?

150 thousand Ryo.

* * *

_**12 days later...**_

* * *

"Raiton: Gian!" Lightning shot out from my mouth and hit the person in front of me but he broke into pieces of rock. Damn, it was an earth clone.

"Pup, behind you!" Raijin shouted before biting the clone in front of him. I swept my leg across the ground behind me and tripped the enemy. I quickly whirled around while doing handseals and placed my hands on his legs.

"Raiton: Jibashi!" Takeshi Yūji, the man I was after, started shaking from the lighting chakra flowing from my hands to his body. Raijin must have killed the last clone because he ran up to me, the smell of worry stinking the air around him.

I stood up and wiped the blood from my nose. "I'm fine."

"You...bitch." Yūji stood up on shaky legs, thinking he could still fight me. Damn, he's so stupid, he can barely stand!

"Uh Pup?"

I waved my hand nonchalantly, knowing there was nothing he can do to actually hurt me. I turned around and punched the guy right on his nose. I felt the satisfying crunch of his nose before he fell back, unconscious. "Well, that's done. Now I just have get back in like two days for that idiot's birthday."

"That's right, he's turning what, 16?"

"Yup." I sighed and looked down at Yūji. "What am I supposed to do with him now?"

"I don't know, search him?"

I shrugged my shoulders and kneeled down. Opening the pockets on his vest I found stuff like money and lists of things I don't care about.

"I was thinking about it before but I realize there was something familiar about him." Raijin said to me.

"Really?" I furrowed my eyebrows and continued searching. I pulled out a scroll and unfurled it. My eyes widened and I realized why Raijin felt like he's met the guy before.

He's an Aotomi.

"What the hell? This guy's real name is Aotomi Yūji."

"That's...right." We whirled our heads to Yūji, shocked that he was awake. "You think...we wouldn't know...that you were sent for this...mission?" He started laughing maniacally and blood started dripping down his chin. "He's always...watching."

I grabbed the front of his shirt and brought him up closer to my face. "My father?"

"We know...all about your relationships..." Yūji smiled, revealing blood on what was white teeth. "About...that dog summoner. What was his...name? ...Kakashi?"

I growled and could feel my canine teeth grow sharper from my emotions. "Don't you dare-"

"You think...you are safe?" Raijin also growled behind me and my grip tightened. "We will...get what...we want-" A kunai suddenly flew out from the trees surrounding us and cut me on my arm, dropping the man. Another shot out and hit Yūji in the neck.

My eyes widened and I whirled around, I sensed someone running away but I didn't chase after him.

"Pup, he's dead." Looking at Yūji, blood was pooling from his neck and his eyes were still open. I sighed and closed his eyes. Standing up, I noticed the state of both me and Raijin. I had a few cuts and bruises here and there but with Raijin I could never tell because of his black fur.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine Pup." Taking one last look at the man, I went through the handseals for a Katon jutsu.

Despite being an enemy, no one deserves to be left lying there, dead.

* * *

_**Two days later…**_

* * *

I walked through the gates to Konoha, the sky turning darker and darker. "Raijin, can you give the mission report to the desk? I have to give Kakashi his gift."

"Sure Pup." Raijin started walking towards the Hokage Tower, the scroll I wrote everything down on in his mouth.

At least I made it back before the sun was fully down, right?

I jumped onto a roof and ran towards Rin's house. Before I left for the mission I made sure Rin would get the saber from the shop.

After a few minutes of running and jumping, I reached Rin's house. "Hey Rin!"

"Haruka?" She opened the door in her civilian clothing. "You're back!"

"Yeah." I smiled. "I wish I could stay and talk longer but I need to give Kakashi his gift."

"Of course." Rin walked away from the door, leaving it open. "We had lunch with him earlier but he disappeared soon after that. I don't know where he went but I have a pretty sure idea where though."

"It's fine." She smiled at me and handed my the box.

"I hope he'll enjoy this gift."

I snickered. "He better, I paid good money for this." She laughed and waved me off. "Don't forget that we're all meeting up at Yakiniku Q in about two hours, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll remind him." Waving goodbye, I started walking to where I knew Kakashi would be.

His father's grave.

I entered the cemetery, Kakashi's gift in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. Before I got here, I went to a flower store that was open and bought the last bouquet they had. Sakumo's grave was located at the corner of the cemetery, a place my mother thought was the best to place him. Kakashi was too young to decide when Sakumo had died and he had no other family.

As I got nearer to where his resting place was, I could see a lantern glowing, indicated that Kakashi was there. I walked up to his kneeling form and placed the flowers in the only empty flower vase.

"Hey Haruka."

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Hey Scarecrow." Kakashi suddenly stood up, making me turn my head up to look at him.

Within these past few months Kakashi had to have hit a growth spurt because he grew almost overnight, towering over my five-three height by eight inches. It wasn't even just that, if I look at it now I see that his shoulders have widened and his voice has gotten a _lot_ deeper than before (not to mention that jaw-line, _damn_). While have muscle definition since a young age because of training, they're more noticeable now and actually fit the body.

"Thanks for the flowers, he'll like them."

I smiled. "No problem, I figured they were pretty." And the only ones left, but he doesn't need to know that. "You're finally 16. How do you feel?"

He shrugged his shoulders before turning around. "Same as usual. Let's leave, I don't really like the cemetery for obvious reasons." Kakashi started walking away, leaving me to jog after him.

"Everything okay Kakashi?"

He turned his head toward me, his only eye revealing nothing of how he felt at the moment. "Yeah, why?"

I cocked an eyebrow, slightly confused about his mood. "I don't know, you seem kind of...down."

"I'm fine." Turning his head back without another word, we walked in silence until we reached the entrance. "I'm sorry, it's just that it feels weird without them here on my birthday, you know?" Kakashi suddenly said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, I know." I looked down to my feet. It was on my birthday last year that made me rekindle my friendship with Kakashi after our big fight the year before that. "Anyways, here's your gift!" I shoved the box into his hands and looked at him, wanting to see his reaction.

"Oh, thanks." He unwrapped the cloth on the wooden box and slowly lifted the lid. Because of _that stupid_ mask, I couldn't see his full reaction but the widening and shock in his eye was enough.

"Is this…?"

I nodded my head excitedly. "Yup. I kinda had to sneak into you house-"

"_What?_"

"_But,_ I figured you'd want this fixed." Kakashi grabbed the hilt of the saber and carefully lifted it up. The metal gleamed in the moonlight.

"You got the metal and everything too." He looked at me. "I went to over a dozen places and none of them could fix it, I had almost given up hope of ever using again."

"Well, I hope you like it." I suddenly felt shy and I couldn't look up at him. What would happen if he didn't like it? Maybe he was mad that I touched the saber? Maybe it was involved with bad memories-

"I love it." Arms were suddenly around me and I was looking at a grey colored vest. I slowly wrapped my arms behind his shoulders and squeezed. "Thank you so much Haruka."

He pulled away and I smiled. "Well, Rin wanted me to tell you that we're all meeting at Yakiniku Q, so come on!" I patted his chest and turned around.

"Alright." Giving me a one-worded answer, I didn't bother turning around to answer back.

What I didn't know was that I left behind a flustered Kakashi.

* * *

"Rin, we're here!" I announced, Kakashi following closely behind.

"Haruka-chan, Kakashi-kun!" Rin stood up and jogged to where we were standing. "Happy birthday!" Giving him a quick hug (poor Kakashi, he hates human contact), she led us to the table that everyone was sitting at. There was, of course, Rin then Obito. There was an empty seat next to him and then to that side was Kurenai. Sitting beside him was Asuma and Gai, and of course an empty seat next to him for Kakashi. That sums up everyone-

Wait, there was a girl that was pretty familiar sitting in the seat next to Kakashi. I sat down where Rin and Obito saved my spot, Kakashi sitting in front of me.

"Happy birthday my eternal rival!" There was a loud cheer from the whole table. "Let us dine on the food called yakinuki!"

I tapped Obito on the shoulder, bringing him closer to me. "Yeah?"

"Who's the girl next to Kakashi?" I asked.

"Oh, is someone jealous that a girl is talking Kakashi-" He was cut off when his head fell forward because of a smack from Rin. That girl is as sweet as dango (because those things are _sweet) _but she could be scary as hell too.

"Obito, it's not nice to tease people, ne?" He furiously nodded his head. "Good." She turned to me and smiled. "That's a friend of Obito's from the Military Police Force."

"Oh." I leaned against the wall and furrowed my eyebrows. "She smells so familiar though."

Rin shook her head. "Only you and Kakashi would say that." She muttered to herself. "Remember Aomi?" I shook my head. "The Uchiha girl you punched on the first day of the Academy."

Punch...first day of the academy… "Oh!" I clapped my hands together. "Yeah, I broke her nose!" I said louder than I actually wanted too. That girl Aomi, must've heard me because she gave me a dirty look before drinking whatever she had ordered. Obito snickered but immediately shut up when I whacked him on the side of his head.

"Haruka..." Rin said embarrassingly. I shrugged my shoulders and started grilling the meat that I had ordered. While I waited for the meat to finish I watched as she kept touched Kakashi's arm and fluttering her eyelashes.

Of course, it was obvious that she had an infatuation with him. The smell she was emitting alone was enough to tell.

"Is someone _jealous?_" I heard Obito's voice whisper into my ear. I shot him a glare before flipping my meat over quite roughly.

"Of course not. I have to reason too Obito." I heard him snicker but I ignored it.

"Well at least we're all here. We haven't done this in like two months."

"The last time was when we helped you babysit Itachi, Shisui, and Sasuke."

Obito suddenly perked up and pointed to me with his chopsticks. "Shisui's been asking for _Haruka-nee_. You should come by more often."

I cocked an eyebrow and placed the grilled beef in my bowl of rice. "And into the Uchiha Compound? _Please, _you know that place gives me the creeps."

Obito leaned his head against the wall. "Don't worry, it gives me the creeps too, especially lately."

"Really? Why?" I raised some rice and beef to my mouth.

"I don't know why but there's like some Clan meeting every few weeks by the Naka Shrine and not everyone is invited." He continued. "It's only Fugaku, the Elders, and the higher up Jounins."

Clan meetings in the Naka Shrine with important people? That sounds suspiciously like the Uchiha's future coup d'éta.

"But it doesn't really bother me, I'm still deciding on going into the police force or staying as a Jounin for missions and crap."

I swallowed my food and smiled. "Well, can't help you there." I went back to paying attention to the grilling meat, but couldn't help but look at Aomi and Kakashi again.

She was holding onto his arm and laughing while Kakashi looked _very_ uncomfortable.

My grip on my chopsticks suddenly tightened. "Haruka, what's wrong?" Kurenai suddenly asks, looking at my hands. I did too and realized that I had unconsciously used chakra and bent the metal chopsticks.

"Nothing, just thinking about something." I lied. Hiding them under a napkin, I grabbed the extra pair next to Obito.

What the hell is wrong with me? What are you doing?

* * *

"Rin, carry me home!" Obito suddenly wrapped his arms around Rin's shoulders, causing the girl to grunt before getting used to his weight.

"Who the hell let you order alcohol?"

"Me." Obito pointed to himself and slurred.

I facepalmed myself. "Of course-"

"Pup!" I suddenly looked to my right to see Raijin walking down the road.

"Raijin?" The wolf ran up to me and licked my face. "How did you know I was here?"

"Obito came to the house to pick you up for the party, but you weren't home and he told me where you guys were going." I patted his head before turning around to the remaining group. Out of the eight people that came today, three of them were drunk. And out of those three, two of them were people I never thought would get drunk. That was Kakashi and Kurenai.

I looked at Kakashi and noticed how Aomi was plastered right next to him, gripping his arm. "Kakashi, are you...okay?"

He looked at me, his face slightly pink and his eyes were glassy from the alcohol that I don't know how he got. "Yeeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but Aomi started talking. "What are you, his mother? Quit asking him all these questions, Kakashi-kun's obviously fine."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I'm his best friend, I'm going to worry if he's fine or not." I turned back to Kakashi. "Are you fine walking home? Raijin and I can walk you back."

"He'll be fine, _I'm_ walking him home."

"Kami, I wasn't asking you so why don't you butt out?" I said to Aomi, annoyed.

"_Excuse_ me? You can't talk to me like that!"

"Well, I just did." Aomi suddenly let go of Kakashi's arm and stomped up to me.

"You wanna go, you bitch?"

I growled and sneered. "I'll break that little nose of yours again if you don't take a step away."

"Bring it."

"Why you-"

I hand was suddenly on my shoulder, pulling me slightly back. "Haruka, don't."

Damn, I almost let my emotions get the best of me. Being the better person that I am, I took a step back and turned around, silently thanking Rin for stopping me.

"That's right, run behind your little pet like last time."

Never mind, I guess I'm not the better person.

I quickly whirled around and grabbed Aomi's shirt. Pulling my arm back at a pretty impressive speed, I punched her square on the nose, breaking it again. "_Grow up_, that was_ ten_ years ago." I hissed in her face. I dropped her onto the ground, everybody's shocked eyes staring at me.

Rin, being the angel that she is, pushes the drunk Obito onto me and runs to Aomi's side. "Please, let me heal that for you."

"Catfight." Obito whispers to me before giggling.

"You need to lose some weight. Kami, you're as heavy as Kakashi." I mutter, ignoring the occasional whimper from the other Uchiha in the group.

"Uh, we're going to go. We'll see you tomorrow I guess. Bye!" Asuma suddenly said to break to awkward silence in the air.

"Happy birthday Kakashi!" Kurenai shouted out while being dragged away by Asuma. Gai shouted out some nonsense that he always says before walking away, leaving a still drunk Kakashi and Obito, a girl with a newly healed nose, a healer, and a wolf and his partner.

"Well, I'm going to a good person and walk away." Aomi said in her nasty voice (it's nasty to me). "Come on Kakashi, I'll take you home."

Kakashi, being the drunk idiot that he is, follows after her. I stood there (mouth hanging open) shocked, still carrying a semi-conscious Obito.

"Haruka, is everything okay?" Rin asked, wiping her hands with a handkerchief. "You usually never let your emotions go like that."

"Yeah, it's just been a tiring day today. Right Raijin?"

"I guess so Pup."

* * *

_**The next day…**_

* * *

"Hey Kakashi, open up!" I slammed my fist against the door a couple of times, only to stop when I heard the click of a lock.

Opening the door was the guy himself, his hair messed up from what I'm guessing is sleep. He was shirtless but still wearing a mask, his pants on inside out. He had a red mark on his...chest... "_Haruka?_"

"Kakashi, who is it!" Hearing a disgustingly familiar voice from the back, I look to Kakashi right to see _Uchiha Aomi, _standing there with a blanket wrapped around herself because she is obviously naked underneath that. "Oh, it's you." Her voice suddenly changed, revealing her dislike for me.

"Is that…?" I looked at Kakashi.

"...Yeah."

"_Okay_ _then_, well...um...I was just seeing if you were, uh, okay. Yeah." I gave him a fake smile before taking a step back. "Uh, Rin and Obito are, um...at the dango shop. I'll be there...so yeah. I guess I'll see you later?" I turned away not bothering to hear Kakashi's answer.

Why did I feel so...sad at seeing that?

* * *

_**October**_

* * *

I didn't feel like getting out of bed today. I wanted to stay under my covers, trying desperately not to cry because of today. It's that date.

It's October 10th.

"Pup, I know you don't want to but you have to get out of bed, interact with the world like everyday." I felt Raijin place his head on my body, but I just stayed there, lying in a fetal position.

"I d-don't want to Raijin. Please."

He pulled the covers away from my body. "No, I want to go on a walk Haruka. You're coming with me."

I turn to him. "I can't, they're going to be mourning them today and I just..._can't_."

Nudging me with his snout, he sat me up and walked over to the closet. "No, it's not good for you. You've been holed up in your room _all_ week." Pulling out the standard shinobi uniform, he walked over to me and placed my clothes in my lap. "Change. We're going to go get some breakfast."

"Fine." Despite not wanting too, I did exactly what Raijin said. I changed into the clothes and made myself presentable to the outside world.

A few minutes later I grabbed my money and started buckling my shoes on. "What do you want to eat?"

"Some fruit would be nice for a change." I nodded and grabbed an umbrella.

"Let's go." We both walked out of the house and started heading towards the Market.

Just like I had thought, there were people already drunk walking around at around noon in the Market.

"Pup..."

I shook my head, feeling nothing as I watched them. "It's fine." I walked up to the only open stand and bought four apples, three for Raijin and one for me.

"Here." I pulled out the stalk and gave one the Raijin.

"Where are we going?" He asked after he finished eating one. I gave him another and shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't know, anywhere I guess. I don't." As soon as he finished that one, I handed him the last apple. "I don't want to bother Obito and Rin, they deserve to mourn by themselves or together."

"You sure?"

I placed my hand on his head and gave him a real smile. "Yeah. I have you, don't I?"

"Of course, I'll always be there for you."

"Promise?"

He licked me on the cheek. "I'll be there for you when cry, I'll be there for you when you get your heartbroken." Raijin chuckled before he continued. "I'll be there for you when you get married and have children. I'll _always_ be there for you Pup." I looked down, slightly overwhelmed by what he said to me. "I don't say it often, but I'll say it now." Raijin walked in front of me and sat down, despite the ground being wet from the rain. "I love you Haruka."

Goddamn it Raijin, don't you know my emotions are everywhere today? Tears filled up in my eyes. I quickly wrapped my arms around him to hide my tears.

"I love you to Raijin." I said into his fur. I pulled away and wiped my face. "Come on, let's go."

We were walking in a comfortable silence until I suddenly stopped in the back of an angry crowd.

"What the-"

"Kill it!

"It's the demon!"

"Kill the brat!"

My eyes widened before I looked around, noticing where my legs took us.

It was the Orphanage. I jumped onto Raijin's back and noticed that a small crowd had just broken into an empty Orphanage. "Raijin, why is that place empty? I remember hearing someone saying that there was suddenly a large amount of orphans because of last year."

"Rin was talking about how they made a new one across the village. She said that they moved yesterday and I think today actually." I jumped back down and looked at him. "But I can sense a person in that building. Just one though."

"Who?"

"I don't know, but you can probably take a guess, can't you?" My eyes widened and I dropped the umbrella in my hands. I quickly took off towards the place, chakra boosting my speed.

Someone had left Naruto alone in an abandoned building on his _birthday_. I pushed past the angry crowd and pushed open the broken door to the building.

I was overwhelmed with the smell of pee, blood, dirty children (I think), and the smell of anger.

These people didn't know where Naruto was yet, but it would be soon because I could hear a baby crying.

I ran up the stairs to the room I had gotten familiar with because of my midnight travels to see how Naruto was. I could hear the angry men breaking into rooms down the hall, but I didn't bother turning to see. My only focus was on Naruto.

I quickly opened the door, to see the blonde baby sitting in his crib, crying. "Naruto!" I ran forward and quickly grabbed him.

Someone heard me shout out his name because not even five seconds later, the same men that broke into the place came running into the room.

"Give us the demon!"

"Kill it!"

I let out a pretty loud growl, and held Naruto closer to my chest. "Don't you dare come near us."

"It's the Kyūbi, kill it!"

I don't know what happened, but I must have let my emotions get the best of me because not even a second later, black chakra was surrounding both Naruto and I. My eyes were probably glowing the red it usually did whenever I got into this state and my canines were sharper than ever.

"**Stay away, or else.**" I threatened. The civilians started freaking out, one even called me a demon too. They quickly ran out the room, smart enough to not fight on an angry shinobi.

I loosened my grip on Naruto a little and looked at him.

"Haru! Haru!" He didn't seem fazed at my state but instead, seemed interested in it. Naruto started patting his eyes and let out a sound that may have been his attempt at a growl. I laughed and got my emotions under control, but not before a dark, demonic voice went through my head.

'_**Let me out, I'll kill the ones that hurt you.**__' _I gasp at the voice but it quickly disappeared, making me doubt that it was real or not.

"Haru?" Naruto suddenly said. Giving him a smile, I quickly left the building and ran over to where Raijin was standing, my umbrella in his mouth.

"What just happened?"

"I let my emotions get the best of me."

"Kami, Haruka, you're lucky the baby's still alive!"

I looked at the blonde baby before grabbing the umbrella. "Well, he is and now we have to go to the Hokage." I started running towards the red building, Raijin following closely behind me.

By the time I reached the Hokage Tower, the rain had gotten harder, leaving a soaked Raijin and a slightly wet Naruto.

"You can't just walk in here-"

I ignored the front desk lady and continued walking up the stairs to the Sandaime's office.

I opened the door, revealing the Hokage standing, smoking from his pipe. For once, there was two ANBU standing in the room too. "Haruka."

"Sandaime."

"Why do you have Naruto there?"

"He was...abandoned in the old Orphanage and an angry crowd demanding payment for the Kyūbi's attack broke in, trying to find him." I continued. "I found him and decided that bring him here was the best choice of action."

Sandaime walked up to me and motioned with his hands to hand over Naruto.

"Haru?"

Smiling at the boy, I carefully placed him in the Hokage's arms. "Bye bye, Naruto." I bowed and turned around.

"Thank you Haruka for saving him."

Placing my hand on the door, I turned my head around. "I think you should change who protects Naruto, sir. I sensed, and smelled, all of them just standing in the trees, not bothering to protect him."

"I will Haruka." Opening the door, I walked out but not before seeing Naruto in another persons arms.

It was a Gecko masked ANBU that smelled suspiciously like Genma.

Smiling to myself, I walked over to Raijin. "What's so funny Pup?"

"I just realized that there are other people that worked for Minato-Sensei that care about Naruto just as much as I do."

After all, Genma was on the elite guard for Sensei.

* * *

**A/N:**_ I FINALLY FINISHED OMG I'M SO SORRY! I have no excuse to why I didn't update sooner. The only thing I can say is that I watched __201__ episodes of Fairy Tail over the weekend. I just couldn't help myself, I'm totally stuck onto that anime/mange now! That's why I spend _all_ day today working on this chapter, hope you liked it because it's FRICKEN long a HELL. My head XD_

_So Kakashi's finally 16, which means I can start my romance (hehehe). SO I have like this headcanon that Haruka is super dense when it comes to anything related to romance-type of love. So that's why she doesn't understand why her heart goes all doki doki on her xD_

_I'm having so much trouble on how I should write about that Uchiha Downfall because it doesn't really happen for another six to seven years. So should I do a time-skip or something? Because SPOILER ALERT, something happens in between these years that involve Haruka and the Aotomi Clan. Also, I have like this major headcanon that Genma took care of Naruto because he cared for the blonde baby xD_

_I totally recommend __**Glory **__by __**Eiruiel **__because come one, who doesn't like Minato and a OC story about his cute little cousin?_

_So that's about it-_

_WAIT, so anyone in the Fairy Tail Fandom PLEASE recommend to me some Fanfic's of them! I'm in like total desperation right now to read some but I don't know, I can't find any good ones that catch my eye._

_So please leave a review and don't forget to follow/fav.!_

_Until next time!~_

* * *

_**150 thousand Ryo =**__ 15 Thousand dollars_

_**Raiton: Jibashi = **__Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder _

_**Raiton: Gian = **__Lightning Release: False Darkness _


	30. Realization

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

**I've loved you for such a long time, and you've never known. Because my way of loving is silent. It's said in every gesture and every look, because my actions speak louder than my words ever could.**

Unknown

* * *

**Realization**

* * *

Looking sadly at the entrance to the dango shop, Kakashi let out a sigh that didn't go unnoticed by two of his teammates and another who was his friend.

"My Eternal Rival, what bothers you?" Gai asked.

Obito swallowed the dango he was eating and pointed the now empty dango stick at Kakashi. "What's wrong?"

He let out another sigh before answering. "She's still avoiding me. Why? _Why?_"

"It's because of what happened on your birthday Kakashi-kun." Rin said from her seat next to Obito.

"My birthday?" He asked disbelievingly. "That was _six_ months ago!"

"Oh yeah, I remember!" Obito said, slamming a fist on his palm. "Haruka went to go see if you were okay because you were dead drunk the night before-"

"You were too Obito."

He shot Rin a glare for interrupting him before continuing. "Anyways, she came back all moody and left a few minutes before you came." The Uchiha narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "What _did_ happen that morning?"

Kakashi went through his memories of that day. "Well, I woke up and found that Uchiha friend of yours, Aomi I think, sleeping on my couch." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Then I was about to take a shower so I was in the process of changing when Haruka came and when I opened it..." His eyes suddenly widened and he let out a curse before quickly standing up, knocking his chair to the ground, finally realizing why. "That _idiot!_" And without another word he ran out the shop, leaving the two guys at the table confused.

A few seconds of silence passed before Obito broke it. "Uh Rin?"

"Yeah?"

"What just happened?" The brown haired girl tilted her head at his question.

"Yes Rin-chan, I would also like to know what my Rival just realized."

She let out a laugh before shaking her head. "He _finally _realized that Haruka misinterpreted what had actually happened that morning." Obito and Gai still looked confused, causing Rin to laugh again. "She might tell you later, or maybe not. It's not my place to say." She went back to the papers she brought from work. While writing down the symptoms of certain patients, Rin let her thoughts take over her mind.

'_Maybe I should have told Kakashi earlier… Oh well, at least he realized it now_."

While the remaining friends continued talking, Kakashi was running at full speed towards his old house -or Haruka's house now. "That _damn_ woman, she thought that I slept with Aomi?" Kakashi let out a growl, scaring a group of genin he ran past. "You would think she knows me a little better than that!" All these months of avoiding him, just because of that. Why would he sleep with that Uchiha when he has feelings for another? Even drunk he would be able to realize that!

He turned around the last corner to her house and saw Haruka locking the door to her house. "Haruka!" He shouted out, catching the attention of the white-haired 16 year old. Kakashi saw a quick look of shock before it changed to annoyance. He ran as fast as he could towards her, his heart beating faster and faster as he got nearer.

"What do you want Kakashi?" She said in a tone that would have made Kakashi cringe any other time.

"The day after my birthday-"

"Is this about that? If it is, I have better things to do than listen to your sex life." Haruka turned around but was stopped when Kakashi grabbed her arm.

"I didn't sleep with her." Haruka scoffed before turning her head to him.

"Why would I care if you slept with her or not?"

He could tell she was lying just by her scent, but it didn't stop him from letting out a growl of frustration; he quickly moved her to where she was facing him. "Then tell me why you were _avoiding_ me! Because that's the only thing I can think of!"

"Don't you have better places to be at?" Haruka's face turned to disgust. "Like at your house with _Aomi?_" She spat out the name.

"Kami, you're such an idiot!" He brought his face closer to hers. "I didn't sleep with her, what you saw was me about to take a shower!"

"Then why was-" Haruka suddenly stopped when a big fat drop of rain dropped on her cheek. They both looked up at the sky to see dark, grey clouds releasing rain. Within a matter of seconds, the sound of the heavy rain falling onto the ground and houses blocked out any other sounds. "Why was she naked? Why did you have a goddamn _hickey_ on your chest?"

"Did you even look closer at it?"

"Of course not! I wouldn't be able to look at your chest-" Realizing what she said, Haruka shut her mouth, her face turning red.

"It was a _bruise, _not a hickey." He loosened his grip on the sides of her arms and sighed."Why do you even care?" He asked quietly a few seconds later.

"W-What?"

"You heard me." Haruka was lost for words at his question. Kakashi continued standing in front of her, numerous thoughts running through his head.

Did she happen to…? There was no way, but with her reaction… Perhaps she did?

"_Tell_ me Haruka!" The wolf-summoner remained silent and looked down, her wet hair hiding her face.

"...I don't know." She said in a tiny voice.

"Then _why?_"

Haruka whipped her head up and Kakashi was shocked to see sadness and guilt in her eyes. "Goddamn it Kakashi, _I don't know!_"

"...Fine." At a speed that would have made his former teacher proud, he pulled his mask down and moved his hands to her face.

"What-" Whatever remained of her words were lost as Kakashi's lips descended onto hers.

* * *

_**Five months ago…**_

_**October**_

* * *

Kakashi looked down at the blonde baby in his hands, amused at what he was doing. "Dog!" He could smell Haruka's scent all over Naruto, causing a small pain to go through his heart.

Haruka.

Kakashi knew that she was avoiding him, and for what, he didn't know. Ever since his birthday -or the day after it- he's barely seen a single white strand of hair of his friend. What did he do to get her angry? Was it even his fault? Maybe she was mourning for their sensei's death because it wouldn't shock him if her way of mourning was pushing away everyone that cared for her.

But judging by the fresh scent of her on the baby, Kakashi knew that she didn't blame Naruto for Minato and Kushina's death.

"Dog?" He looked back down at Naruto and smiled, despite not being able to show it because of the ANBU mask he wore. He bounced the baby, getting a childish scream from him.

Haruka would start talking to him again in November, by then she would have realized how stupid she was being by avoiding her friends.

* * *

_**Four months ago…**_

_**November**_

* * *

"She's what?!"

"Sorry Kakashi-kun, she's on a mission right now." Kakashi let out a tired sigh before throwing her birthday gift on the table.

"It's not your fault Rin." He said to her before placing his head on his hands. "When was the last time you saw her?"

"Um…about a week ago?" She said, unsure. Rin took in Kakashi tired state and gave him a sad smile. "She's been avoiding you again, hasn't she?"

He looked at her, shocked. "How…?"

"Call it a girl's intuition." She crossed her arms on the table and leaned forward. "What did you do this time?"

"That's the thing, I don't know." He answered. "I was hoping that by giving her this gift, she would forgive me."

"Oh." Rin stayed quiet for a few seconds, thinking. "If you want, I can ask Haruka what's gotten her so mad at you."

"Thanks Rin."

Kakashi looked at the gift that he had bought for Haruka; it was a pair of gloves that he had remembered her saying that she had wanted, but didn't have the money for.

What the hell did he do?

* * *

_**Three months ago…**_

_**December**_

* * *

"Happy New Years!" There were cheers all throughout the bar saying the same thing. Kakashi looked around and saw many familiar faces but also saw some that he had never seen before.

"My Eternal Rival, I hope that you will have a great New Year!" He turned to his bowl-cut friend and smiled.

"I hope you have one too." From left and right, people he knew from ANBU came and wished him a happy New Year. But he wasn't too focused on them, the only thing he could focus on was the scent of a certain person sitting across the bar.

"Dude, Haruka's over there sitting with Rin if you want to talk to her." Obito said as he walked up to Kakashi.

"Thanks." He turned to walk over to where his Uchiha friend pointed to, but someone suddenly jumped in front of him.

"Kakashi-kun! I haven't seen you in weeks!" He gave her a forced smile, his attention still on Haruka's form. "How have you been? I've been wanting to see you for a while, but you're a hard person to find!" Aomi giggled and pressed herself against his arm.

"I've been quite fine Aomi-san." Kakashi tried removing his arm from her grip, but she was stronger than he had thought.

"I told you to stop with the _-san_ Kakashi! I just want to talk to you more." She moved her hand to his and started pulling him into another direction. "Come drink with me and my friends."

Kakashi, now starting to panic, tried looking around for his friends but they all had their backs to him, talking to their friends. "I can't-"

"Oh don't be shy!" Aomi gave him a seductive smile. She moved her hands to his chest and when he was about to push them off there was a sudden sound of a bottle breaking from the other side of the bar. Kakashi quickly looked at where the sound came from.

Standing there was Haruka, her face red from what must have been embarrassment and slight...pain? Why would she be in pain? Looking closer at her hands, he saw bloody pieces of broken glass stabbed into her hands. Rin was fussing with her hands but she quickly left to the bathroom, probably to clean up the blood.

"What an idiot." Kakashi heard someone say, but he ignored them and turned towards the Uchiha girl still holding his hand.

"Come on!"

"I'm sorry, but I have to go see what happened." He pulled his hand from Aomi's grip and rushed over to where Rin was standing, leaving the girl to make a face of disbelief. Rin was apologizing to the bar manager who happened to be right next to them at that moment.

"Kakashi!"

"What happened?" He asked after everything was cleaned up.

Rin shook her head, still worried for their friend. "I don't know, one second she was laughing and another she had this...look on her face. And the next thing I knew, she had broken the bottle in her hands."

"Did you know what she looked at?"

She pointed in the direction he had just come from. "_You_." He took a step back, shocked at what Rin just said. He was about to ask another question, but was interrupted by a voice that belonged to a person that he hasn't seen in months.

"Rin, I'm going home. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"O-Oh, okay then." She answered. He stood there, frozen because of the certain smell of an emotion that she must have been feeling. After a second passed, he quickly turned around to try and catch Haruka, but she was already half way across the bar when he did.

"Damn it, I'll be right back Rin." He pushed people in his way, trying as hard as he could to reach the girl that wouldn't leave his mind, but by the time he reached the entrance to the bar and exited it, she was long gone.

Kakashi let out another curse before punching the wall next to the door to the bar. He was full of emotions at that moment; anger, frustration, sadness.

And not to mention confusion. Out of all those emotions, he felt that one the most.

When Haruka had walked past him earlier as she said goodbye to Rin, he could tell that there was a lingering scent of jealousy on her.

_Jealousy._

Why would she, out of all people, feel that emotion towards him?

* * *

_**Two months ago…**_

_**January**_

* * *

"_I'm back Kakashi!" She stuck her head into the kitchen. "What's that?" _

_He looked down at the fish he had gotten from some old lady from earlier. "A fish."_

"_A fish?" She cocked an eyebrow before laughing. "Whatever. I need to show you something, so come into the bedroom when you finish putting that away!" She said to him before skipping away. Shrugging his shoulders at the girl's good mood, he placed the fish into the freezer and followed her into the room._

"_Where are you?"_

"_In here!" She was in the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom._

"_What did you want me to see?" He asked as he walked into the room. Standing there with no clothes besides her undergarments was the white-haired girl, trying desperately to see something on her shoulders._

"_This! I just got it today!" She said excitingly while turning around to show Kakashi. On her left shoulder was a tattoo that looked exactly like a paw print. "I thought it would be cool, you know?"_

"_It's beautiful," He said as he walked towards her. "But the person it's on is even more." His voice suddenly changed, getting a little deeper and huskier. _

"_Oh really?" She teased playfully. She dodged his arms and tried to run away, but he managed to catch her and toss her onto their bed. He was leaning over her, his eyes shining with lust. She lifted her hands to his face and pulled down his mask before moving them gently across his cheek. Before he could do anything, she suddenly smirked and flipped their position, Kakashi now laid on the bed as Haruka kneeled over him. "I love you Kakashi." She said before bring her lips down to his. _

_He was already in the mood and could tell that she was too by scent. Moving his mouth to a spot on her neck that he knew she loved to be kissed at, he did exactly that. He then moved his hands to her back and practically ripped that damn bra off before switching their positions back to what they were before. He sat up for a few seconds to take off his shirt, but was quick to return to giving the girl the attention she desperately wanted. _

_She moaned into his lips before moving her hands to his pants-_

Kakashi suddenly sat up, breathing heavily. It took him a few seconds before he realized _what_ had woken him up. His head fell to his hands and he groaned. What the fuck did he just dream of?

He groaned again but this time for a different reason. He removed his hands from his face and lifted the blanket, only to see what he was feeling.

Well, he needed to take a shower anyways.

Looking at the time, he realized he woke up an hour earlier than usual. Standing up, he got a towel and walked to his bathroom. As soon as he took of his clothes, he turned on the shower and put it to the coldest it could go. Bracing himself for the cold, he quickly went under the cold spray and could tell that his uncomfortable feeling had died down.

"What the absolute _fuck!_" Kakashi shouted out before punching the wall in front of him. Why did he even _dream_ of her, doing all those things to him? Out of all people, he never thought he would dream of Haruka doing...whatever that had happened.

_Never_, not even in his _wildest_ dreams had Kakashi thought he would have a dream like that with Haruka.

* * *

_**One month ago…**_

_**February**_

* * *

He liked her. He fucking _liked_ her.

"Hehe, you got it _hard_, don't you Hatake?"

"Fuck off Obito, I'm not in the mood." He gave his friend a glare before turning back to his drink.

"Who would have _thought_ that the cold-blooded Kakashi would have fallen in _love?_" Obito teased before taking a bite of the usual dango.

"I did." Asuma said nonchalantly next to the Uchiha.

"Shut up Asuma, you're not helping." Kakashi sighed but his friend started giggling. He pointed to Obito sitting in front of him. "And what about you and Rin? Why don't you do anything with _her_, Mr. _I-know-everything-about-love?_"

Kakashi was answered with a spray of half-eaten chunks of dango. He, being the Jounin and ANBU that he was, gracefully avoided a face full of disgusting food that came from his best friend's mouth. "S-Shut up!"

"No." He smirked. "At least my crush isn't as _obvious_ as yours. You do know that Rin knows right?"

"I know what?" Said girl asked innocently from behind Obito. Because he was distracted at the moment, he didn't notice the girl walked up behind him.

"N-Nothing!" He shouted out suspiciously.

"Oh really?" She sat down next to Kakashi and grabbed a menu. Asuma tried hiding his laugh with a cough, but was failing horribly.

"Well actually, our dear teammate here was saying that he liked-"

"Hatake likes Haruka!"

"What?"

"_What?_"

"_What the fuck Obito!_" Kakashi suddenly shot up and grabbed the Uchiha's shirt and lifted him up from his seat. The only thing Obito did was give him a smirk that Kakashi so desperately wanted to punch off.

"Really Kakashi?" He sighed and dropped his friend before sitting back down. He didn't answer Rin's question, but his silence must have answered her question because she started laughing.

Sometime during their scuffle, Kurenai sat down next to Asuma and was trying not to laugh at her silver-haired friend.

"Shout it out to the world, why don't you." Kakashi said.

"Well, the only thing you need to do is get her to start talking to you again, right?"

Obito tilted his head, confused. "She's _still_ not talking to you?"

"...Yeah."

"Damn, you must've gotten her _really_ mad this time Hatake."

He let out an annoyed sigh. "No, _really?_"

"Well, I wish you luck Kakashi, cause you're going to need it." Kurenai smirked. "Especially if it's her."

* * *

_**Now**_

_**March**_

* * *

The force of his kiss pushed Haruka's back to the fence surrounding the fence. She let out a sound of shock before succumbing to the kiss, she tilted her head more up.

Kakashi had been right, she did like him.

He sucked on her bottom lip before pulling away. Haruka was looking at him with eyes as wide as saucers and had absolutely no anger in them.

"Do you realize why I wouldn't do those things?" He asked, a little out of breath.

"But that morning-"

He pushed a strand of wet hair behind her ears and looked at her straight in the eyes. "I like you Haruka, I've liked you for so long."

She shook her head in disbelief and turned her head to the ground. "...You shouldn't like someone like me Kakashi."

Kakashi placed his hands on her face and made her look at him. "But I _do, _and there's nothing that'll change that."

This time, he slowly leaned down and waited until she nodded before placing his lips onto hers. He was gentle, not driven by the sudden need to show her why.

Kakashi could taste the saltiness of her tears mixed in with the heavy rain that still fell. "I'm so sorry Kakashi, please forgive me." She whispered against his lips.

"Always." He answered. Haruka, being the five-three girl that she was, had to stand on her toes to reach his six-foot frame. But even then she was still too short, Kakashi had to lean down to kiss her. She tilted her head to the side, letting the both of them get deeper into their kiss. Haruka raised her arms to wrap around Kakashi neck, he had placed one hand behind her head and another right above the end of her back. He pushed her against him, kissing her even harder.

No one dared to disturb the two lovers, but there was one person watching the whole ordeal. He smirked and jumped away. '_Oh stupid daughter of mine, you just fell right into my hands_.'

* * *

**A/N:**_ BA-BAM! NEW CHAPTER ALREADY WOOHOO! AND NOT TO MENTION, IT'S A PART THAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR XD NOT TO MENTION, IN TIME IS NOW AT 30 CHAPTERS OMG GUYS THANK YOU SO MUCH!_

_I was on a roll today, managed to finish this chapter because I was like, why the hell not? I have all this time xD _

_I hope you guys like this chapter because I sure as hell know that I do. If there _are_ any mistakes, please forgive me. Like I said, I was on a roll._

_So not to make it seem like too quick, I wanted to add the six months Kakashi was tortured with (from being avoided by Haruka of course). It went from a simple confusion to 'I just had a naughty dream of my best friend' kind of thing. I tired to make sure it wasn't rushed, but if it was just tell me and I guess I'll put it in the next chapter. Maybe._

_Also, I realize that this chapter is like a LOT shorter than the last one, but the last one was because I felt super guilty about not posting one for like two weeks._

_PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME HOW YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THEIR KISS SCENE LIKE I DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH WRITING ROMANCE, (despite _**_Looking into His Eyesb_**_already having kiss scenes) I'M NOT GOOD AT THEM._

_So, I know that this story I'm recommending isn't Naruto and for that, I apologize. BUT I CAN'T HELP IT DX So for this chapter I recommend the __Twin-Paradox-Slayer Quartet_ _series from __**Miss Mungoe**__. The story is a fanfiction based on the anime/manga Fairy Tail, so sorry to those who aren't in the fandom! I TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT THOUGH SO GO WATCH/READ IT NOW! So, the actual titles in order. The first is __**out of time**__,_ _the second is __**not yet, brave child**__, the third is __**brilliance of the sun**__, and the last is __**the time is now**__. It's a Gajeel x Levy and Natsu x Lucy pairing based on the Twin-Paradox-Slayer theory. It's just...I love it so much. SO GO READ IT!_

_Other than that, don't forget to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW and to follow/fav. if you haven't already!_


	31. Family

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO AND ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

**The mind is beautiful because of the paradox. It uses itself to understand itself.**

Adam Elenbaas

* * *

**Family**

* * *

_**One year later…**_

* * *

"Obito, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Obito's tired face looked at me. "Yeah, why?"

I narrowed my eyes and scoffed. "It's obvious that you aren't." My face softened. "Don't lie to me."

He gave me a defeated sigh before rubbing the sides of his head. "I haven't been sleeping well at _all,_ and when I am able to sleep I have these...nightmares that seem real. Too real."

"What kinds of dreams?"

"The Bijū come out and then..."

"Then what?"

"A large tree." He paused before shaking his head. "No, I wouldn't say tree. More like a flower? But that's not it, the moon. The moon is _red_."

I dropped the glass cup in my hand and paled. No, _no!_ Why would he be having dreams like that? It doesn't make any sense-

"-ruka, Haruka!" I shook my head and focused back on Obito, who was standing in front of me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I let out a shaky breath and forced a smile on my face. "They're probably just that, dreams. Don't let it get to you."

Obito didn't say anything, he just continued standing in front of me as I cleaned up the shattered glass. "...How do you do it?"

I cocked an eyebrow and looked up at him. "Do what?"

"Deal with your dreams."

I paused for a second before picking up the last broken piece. Standing up, I turned around and threw it away but didn't bother moving. "I don't."

"What?" Obito sounded shocked.

I shook my head and gave a bitter laugh. "My dreams are still plagued with visions of death, of the lives I've taken." Of the future. "Even now Kakashi or Raijin have to wake me up for reasons."

Over the years, what I'm about to talk about only happened three times but lately it's been getting worse. I have a weird chakra that comes out when I lose control of my emotions, similar to a Jinchūriki. The only difference is that I don't have a tailed beast locked inside my stomach.

But lately, there's like this voice in my head that I can usually block out when I'm awake, but when I go to sleep, then it's fair game. I feel as if it's..._controlling_ the dreams, causing my emotions to go haywire. And like I said, that dangerous chakra only comes out when I can't control my emotions.

I don't remember any the incidents, but the first time it happened was when I was 13 and staying over and Minato-sensei and Kushina-neesan's house. That night, I had a dream that just got me so...angry, so sad. The emotional overload must have been enough because the next thing I knew, I was in the living room instead of the guest bedroom sleeping, with Sensei kneeling over me and his hand on my forehead, seals surrounding me. I later found out that I had started walking around the house, destroying furniture while the black chakra surrounded me.

That, was the first time. This has happened three times throughout my life, and the last two times? They both happened this year. _This year. _There _has_ to be some sort of connection; my dreams are getting worse, I have a weird demonic voice in my head and not to mention a dangerous chakra that makes me turn into a monster.

I'm surprised I'm not being bounded off to a Yamanaka yet.

"I think Rin said something about a medicine that'll help with no dreams." I turned towards Obito and shrugged. "I don't know, but you can ask."

"Thanks Haruka." I have him a smile, hoping to reassure him.

"Now since everybody seems to be on a mission besides us, let's have some dinner." I walked over to the fridge and started pulling out food.

"You're cooking?"

"Pup, you can't cook to save your life."

I turned around, not just at Obito but Raijin who must have came back from his hunt. "S-Shut up! I've been practicing, and I figured why not let Obito try it?"

My Uchiha friend took a step back, a different kind of fear on his face. "I don't want to get food poisoning-"

"You're not! I swear, it's not going to kill you!"

* * *

_**The next day…**_

* * *

I opened the door to my mom's hospital room, Raijin standing out in the hallway because he knew I liked to be alone during these times. "Hey mom." I said at her still form. Walking over to the small table next to her, I removed the dying flowers and replaced them with the new ones that I had bought earlier, throwing the old ones away. I brought the chair from the other side of the room next to her bed and held her hand. I looked at her face and realized that she was started to get wrinkles, despite not doing anything for the past ten years. "Sorry I didn't come by last week, I was on a mission." I forced a smile on my face. "We're all doing fine. Kakashi's doing whatever in ANBU, I'm doing missions. Rin's getting better and better at her Iryo-ninjutsu and Obito's still trying to tell her that he likes her."

The only thing that prevented my mother from looking dead was the slight rising and falling of her chest. Other than that, she looked, well, dead. "...I'm scared." I whispered. I brought her hand to my forehead and kept it there, too scared to look at her. "So many things are happening to me. That weird chakra of mine, Obito's visions." My hand tightened. "Should I tell the Hokage about the Uchiha?"

If I did happen to tell the Hokage about them, how would I word it? How would I protect myself from Danzō? I know that by myself, I could _never_ stop the coup. So that would end up meaning I'd have no choice _but_ to tell the Hokage. But if I do, I'd end up being scared that Danzō would find out and take advantage of that. He's the main reason behind the Uchiha actually being killed; if he can do that, then what can I do?

And I know it's selfish of me, but I just..._don't_ want to live the rest of my life, fearing that one day I'll end up being kidnapped and forget about my life because let's face it, Danzō is someone that would erase your memory.

"I should just do what I think is best right?" Removing her hand, I looked at her face and could just imagine the look she would be giving me. "That's what you would say if you were awake, after all." A genuine smile on my face, I stood up and gave my mom's hand one last squeeze. "Well, I'll see you again next week at the same time."

Making sure that she was comfortable, I put the chair back and left the room. When I pushed opened the door, I saw Raijin laying across the floor licking his paws. "You ready Pup?"

"Yeah."

We walked side by side down the stairs. "You seem happier now."

I nodded my head and rubbed my shoulder. "I just had some things I needed to say to someone."

"As long as you're happy." He told me before licking my hand. I opened the door to the first floor expecting to find the usual quiet that came with the hospital, but...didn't. There were nurses and doctors running back and forth throughout the hallway, panic on their faces. I took a step forward, but was stopped by Raijin. "Pup, wait."

"Why?" I looked at the panicking people. "Something obviously happened and I want to know."

"I can smell-" I ignored him and pushed the door all the way open and started walking down the hall, trying to see if I could find Rin. I was about to tap one of the nurses on the shoulder but stopped when I saw the ANBU being carted into the emergency room. I could hear some of them groaning in what was probably pain and the overwhelming scent of blood and pain. But what really made me stop was when I saw a familiar mask being rushed into one of the emergency surgery rooms. The scent confirmed it too.

It was Kakashi.

I was about to rush forward, but was stopped (once again) by Raijin. "Think about it Pup, you can't just rush in there. ANBU aren't supposed to reveal their identities right? You shouldn't even know about him."

Kakashi wasn't awake, he wasn't _not awake_. I could smell the wounds he had, the amount of blood-

Wait. That blood, it's not just his. It's…

No, no way.

Why _was he there?_

Why was my_ father's _blood on Kakashi?

* * *

"Rin, tell me what room he's in."

"I can't Haruka-"

I grabbed her shoulders and stared at her. "Please." She gave me a defeated sigh before writing something down on a slip of paper.

"Don't tell anyone I told you. If you did, both of us would get in trouble." I smiled at moved to take it, but she held it back. "There's ANBU stationed in front of all the rooms. Do take caution going in."

I gave her a _I won't get caught_ look before snatching the paper out of her hands. "Thanks." The only thing Rin did was shake her head before walking off to go check on other patients.

Well, now that I got that out of the way, the only other thing to do was sneak into Kakashi's hospital room. That's gotta be easy, right?

...Wrong.

Kakashi was on the second floor of the hospital _but_ all the wounded ANBU had a genjutsu on their rooms to protect them, and had ANBU guarding their rooms.

"Raijin, you can go home. I'll see you soon."

"Pup-"

I turned my head a little towards him, but not enough to where he would see my face. "Just...don't. I'm going to go see him."

Raijin sighed and shook his head. "Fine. I'll be back home if you need me Pup." I smiled and walked in the opposite direction, towards the stairs. As I walked up the stairs, I realized I needed a way to sneak into his room. I could probably cast a cloaking genjutsu on and then conceal my chakra, but would that be enough to fool the ANBU? But at the same time, I don't really have any other choice, the windows to the room are sealed to make sure no one sneaks in (or out because it's famous that Shinobis hate the hospital).

But the weird thing was that when I checked for chakra signatures or when I tried to smell them, there was no one.

And my nose doesn't lie.

I slowly walked down the hallway (my genjutsu casted on me and my chakra concealed) and stopped at Kakashi's room.

...No seal on his door. This is getting weirder and weirder by the second.

Opening the door slightly, I expected some ANBU to jump and attack me but when nothing happened, I opened it all the way. Lying there covered in bandages was Kakashi, still unconscious. Slowly closing the door to make sure it didn't make a sound, I rushed to the chair next to his bed. The blankets were pulled up all the way to his face, only stopping right under his eyes.

I've never seen him so hurt before. Sure, he's had an arm there and a leg here wrapped in bandages, but were any of his wounds bad enough to where he was sent to the hospital to stay there? No, they weren't. (Not yet anyways.)

Seeing him like this probably because of my father made my blood boil with anger. That man already hurt my mom, but to hurt Kakashi? The person that I've grown up with, who's been there for me even during the bad times?

I've had enough.

I pulled down the blanket and as gently as I could, placed my hand on his cheek and struggled to keep my voice straight. "I promise to end this nightmare, once and for all. Okay Scarecrow?" I kissed his bandaged-wrapped head and sat back down in the chair, moving it to where I could lay my head on the bed. I felt myself yawn and struggled to keep my eyes open.

But in less than five minutes I had fallen asleep, never letting go of that idiot Scarecrow's hand.

My nose had woken me up about an hour later, because it seemed like we had a very important visitor. "Ah, to be young and in love again." My eyes shot open and I immediately looked at the smiling man standing by the foot of Kakashi's bed.

Shit.

I quickly shot up from my seat in the chair, but had to fumble with it when it leaned a little too far back. "H-Hokage-sama!" As soon as the chair was stabilized, I bowed my head, too scared to look at him. I had just broken into an injured ANBU's room, I was going to be in _so_ much trouble. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean too-"

"There is no problem Haruka-chan." The Hokage gave me a warm smile before he walked toward me; he handed me a cloth and ruffled my hair. Although being only a half-inch taller than me, he held himself to where it felt as if he was a whole foot taller instead, it was obvious that he had power, that his dark brown eyes saw more than most.

In overall, he scared me despite being only nice to me ever since a child. But I guess that's what a Hokage should be right? Nice and scary at the appropriate time?

"What is this?" I asked as I looked at the red cloth in my hand.

"Kakashi was holding this in his hand and told me to give this to you. He said that you would know what it is." Confused, I turn the cloth over to see if there was anything written or stitched onto it. There was nothing, the only other thing to do was try to smell it. No matter how many times I did it, it always made me feel silly whenever I brought something to my nose to smell it. Taking a deep breath, the only smell (besides Kakashi's blood) was my father's.

It wasn't the scent of his blood but it was the scent of _him,_ if that made any sense. Each person has their own scent that an animal with a strong sense of smell can catch. While blood has the similar scent to the person it belongs too, it's harder to track because if they had healed their cuts and washed off the blood, we would be led there instead of to the person.

It was easier to track someone by their own scent than the scent of their blood.

"It's my...father's." Nothing new there.

The Hokage let out a sigh. "I know that the main cause of the injured ANBU today was because of the Aotomi Clan. In all the reports, they said that one man managed to overwhelm Kakashi."

I wiped the emotion from my face so it wouldn't show Hiruzen-sama my feelings at that moment. "Are you allowed to tell me these things Hokage-sama? I am not in ANBU nor do I have the clearance to know about an mission involving them."

He fixed his hat and moved to face the window. I couldn't see his face, but knew that he was saddened, angry, and curious. "After Minato became Hokage, he made a separate folder on you Haruka. It contained information on your family, both Aotomi and Tsuchiya. There was not much on your mother's family, but much for the Aotomi." He turned around and gave me a look. "He wrote down little side notes about your abnormal chakra. But what really caught my eye was when he wrote down about how you may or may not get visions of the future." I managed to keep my face blank but something in my eyes must have shown him something to answer his question. "...I see."

...Should I? If I do tell him, will it save the Uchiha? Will it save Obito, Itachi, Sasuke, all the remaining Uchiha?

A few seconds of silence passed by before I figured out my answer. "Is this room secure Hokage-sama?" He gave me a nod.

I wasn't going to tell him that I came from another world because, no. Just no.

I'm going to say that I have visions of the future, but they don't include me in them. Sure, there are a lot of blank spaces that'll need to be filled in with little white lies but this is the _safest_ route to go.

"I do have visions." I looked at Kakashi. "But I don't remember half of them. They always confuse me because they don't include me." I continued. "Yes, I knew about Kannabi Bridge, about Rin's kidnapping. I even knew...about the Kyūbi attack and the former Hokage and his wife dying. The events involving my other two teammates happened according to the way my visions showed, but the Kyūbi Attack..."

"What about the attack Haruka?"

"It was off with my vision. It should not have even happened, not with Obito in Konoha."

"Obito?" Hiruzen-sama sounded shocked.

Shit, I didn't mean to say that. Now I'd have to tell him about Madara and the Akatsuki and all those events. I only meant to tell him about the Uchiha coup!

I need a lie that sounds reliable…

"I do not know, all I do remember seeing was Obito in a mask attacking our former teacher. He was the one person that would have caused the Kyūbi's seal to release. But that is the thing Hokage-sama, all of the events that would have caused the attack were fixed, _I_ fixed them! Rin wasn't killed in front of Obito's eyes, which would have caused him to go mad with grief. That is why I didn't do anything on October 10th because there should not have been anything _to_ change, despite being a year later than my visions."

"Hmm..." Hokage nodded his head, as if in thought. "You sound as if the visions do not involve you Haruka."

"...They do not, Hokage-sama."

"That means that your visions are ones of a future that did not involve you changing Obito and Rin's fate."

"Yes."

"Do not blame yourself for Minato and Kushina's deaths Haruka-chan. It was not your fault."

"I understand that Hokage-sama, but there is more I must tell you and the reason to why I kept the visions to myself all these years."

"What is it my dear child?" He asked.

"The reason I did not tell you was because...I was afraid." I said in a quiet voice.

He looked at me confounded. "Of what?"

"Of the council member, Danzō." I balled my hands into fists. "I see visions of him doing deeds that would make most sick, Hokage-sama. He is the _sole_ reason that in ten years time, there will only be three living Uchiha's."

"What?"

"I was scared that he would take me if he knew of visions and abuse the right. I know he wanted to enter Kakashi into ROOT after Sakumo-san's suicide, and especially after my mother fell into her coma. We were both left without a guardian, it would have been what he wanted. I did not want my life to end, Hokage-sama. ROOT is the one thing I feared more than everything besides death."

"There are a handful of people that know of ROOT Haruka. You should not know of them."

"My visions, they showed me Hokage-sama." I needed to tell him of the Uchiha. "In five years, Hokage-sama, Danzō himself will order the ANBU member Uchiha Itachi to massacre his own clan. He will come to believe that that was the only way to save Konoha from their planned coup d'état. In my visions, you believed everything could be solved peacefully, with talks." I saw him nod and what I said. "But that will not happen. Itachi will massacre his clan not on your orders, but Danzō's."

Hiruzen-sama didn't do anything, he didn't move, didn't make any sounds. He just stood there, as if thinking about everything. "...I will need time to think about the information you just told me." He gave me a smile, but something about this one scared me. "For all I know, you could be lying and trying to trick me. Not that you would do something like that, but it is a possibility that I have to take in." The next thing I knew, he was tipping his hat at me and walking out of the room. "And don't worry, I never saw you here."

He left me standing in the room shocked.

Hiruzen-sama just...left.

I left soon after he did. Giving Kakashi a kiss on his forehead (and a weak slap against his cheek while calling him Scarecrow) I went the same way I did earlier, but this time I felt like I was being watched, probably by the ANBU. It didn't bother me though, I was able to see Kakashi to make sure he was okay.

That alone was enough for me.

And not to mention I just told the Hokage all my darkest, most inner secrets. While I _do_ feel lighter than I have in years, I also am...scared for my life.

I pulled out the red cloth in my pocket and started messing with it while I walked back home. I pulled and prodded it but nothing happened, so I started smelling it. Got some weird looks from civilians _and_ some Shinobis, but I brushed it off.

When I turned the corner to my house, I could tell immediately something was off. There was an overwhelming stench of the tangy smell of blood that belonged to Raijin. I rushed forward, pocketing the cloth. The door to my house was broken and when I stepped in so I didn't bother to take off my shoes. "Raijin?" I called out, hoping that maybe, just _maybe_, he was here. But no one answered and I couldn't sense him, which meant something had happened to him.

"Kami..." I muttered when I saw the state of my living room. Half the furniture were broken and the other half were not in the place they were in a few hours ago. But what really got to me was the amount of blood there was everywhere. Blood on the wall, on the cushions, on the floor.

And most of it was Raijin's.

I cry left my mouth when I saw a chunk of his fur lying there, right in the middle of the room. "R-Raijin!" I fell to my knees and picked it up, not caring about the blood that I was getting on my clothes and my hands. Why didn't he reverse-summon himself? Why didn't Raijin just go back?

As I sat there on the ground, the sun getting lower and lower, I felt myself reach a boiling point that I had never reached before.

How _dare_ he. He almost killed my boyfriend and kidnaps Raijin while leaving his blood in my house.

_My house_.

If he wants the demon inside of me so bad, then that's what he'll get.

He'll get his demon of a daughter he wants so desperately.

* * *

**A/N:**_Sorry guys, I was having a lot of trouble with this chapter. It was just, so, hard! That may the reason why it's not so good too, so sorry! But I swear to make it up to you in the chapters to come! I wasn't sure how well the "I have visions" part played out and I hated it, but that was like the only way I could think of so...sorry! I hope it wasn't confusing._

_So I've decided that because _**_In Time _**_is getting pretty long with it's 31 plus chapters, I'm going to upload another story that'll probably be called_ **_Out of Time _**_(not sure yet)_**. **_It's the continuation of _**_In Time _**_and will be the mash up of Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden!_

_Yay for that!_

_You guys are just, so so so wonderful. This story is right now at 200 favorites and 250 follows. Like, why? I always ask myself that xD_

_For this chapter's recommendation, it is a Naruto Fanfic (unlike the last one I recommended, sorry!) and it's called _**_Of All the Diamonds in the Rough _**_by_**_ WhovianLord245_**_. Go read it!_

_So please leave a review and a follow/fav. if you haven't already!_

_Until next time!~_


	32. Certainty

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

**It is very sad to me that some people are so intent on leaving their mark on the world that they don't care if that mark is a scar.**

John Green

* * *

**Certainty**

"Haruka is making her move."

The one eyed man looked down at the kneeling masked man in front of him. "Is she leaving Konoha?"

"Yes."

"Then Hiro has accomplished his side of the plan." He nodded his head and turned around. "If everything goes well, we will have Haruka and that demon inside of her."

"What will you have me do?" The man kneeling asked.

"Follow her but do not engage no matter what."

"Hai, Danzō-sama."

* * *

_**Haruka**_

* * *

Raijin and my father's scent disappeared the moment I reached the forest surrounding outside of Konoha, but what didn't disappear was the sense of unease. I felt like this was a trap, that this was exactly what my father wanted me to do. But the thing I didn't understand was how did he get into Konoha? The barrier team should have noticed the disruption. Even then, carrying a large wolf like Raijin would bound to get you noticed by normal shinobi and ANBU but he _didn't_, so that meant only one thing.

My father had inside help.

But this isn't the time to thing about that, the only thing I had to do was find Raijin and _leave_.

My sensing ability is crap. I'm a horrible sensor which I get told by everybody. Sure, I could do the basic but that's only if I concentrate very hard. That's why getting stuck in a forest with no scent whatsoever really _really _bothered me. Each person has their weakness in fighting and mine just happens to be sensing and genjutsu. Can you see the similarities between the two? Because I sure as hell can.

"I'll find you Raijin, just hang on for me." Placing both of my hands on the ground, I did the only other option I had. I've never tried it but I did talk about it with Raijin but he told me not to do it.

* * *

_I wouldn't risk it. The emotional overload from your memories would cause you to go out of control._

* * *

I'm sorry Raijin, but I'm going to have too risk it. Without it, I can't find you and I probably won't be able to find my father.

Taking a deep breath, I started to remember. I remembered my first kill and when my mother fell into her coma. I remembered every bad thing in my life that would get a rise in my emotions. Raijin getting kidnapped, Kakashi unconscious in the hospital. Minato-sensei and Kushina's death, the Kyuubi-

_**'Let me loose, I'll rip their throats out**_**.'**

_Their deaths my fault the demon blood oh Kami so muchbloodthepainremembering-_

_**'I'll take over for you.'**_

_Hatred Ifeel hate whatisthis painsomuch toomuchpain why-_

_**'I can kill them, I can kill the ones that hurt you**_**.'**

_No! Ican't I need to beincontrol-_

_**'Control? Ha, that word does not apply to me Haruka. Let me show you power, **_**real**_** power.'**_

_No please no pow__**erallthispowerIcan doanytH**_**INGKILLANYONE**

"Is this the daughter?"

"Yeah, it's Hiro-sama's daughter."

"She fell for the bait then."

"Yeah..."

"What the fuck? What is that? That doesn't look like his daughter."

"Is that...black chakra?"

"Shit, she's looking at us."

"What the hell is wrong with her? Wait, she's walking over here!"

"C-Capture her then!"

"Why don't you? Actually, it doesn't matter, go warn the others!"

"What do you mean it doesn't fucking matter-"

**SCREAMBLOOD HA HAHAHA DIE**

_**'Yes Haruka, this is what we want.'**_

**YESKILLTHEM ALL**

"What the fuck?!"

"_Run! Tell the others she's here!_"

**DEATH**

**HA**

**HAHA**

**HAHAHA**

* * *

_But if you do try to control that chakra, keep it balanced. Like good and bad, or light and dark. _

_You just need to remember the good to keep you...yourself._

* * *

_**Kakashi**_

* * *

When he finally opened his eyes, he was alone. Not that he was expecting anyone to be at his side. Groaning from his stiff muscles and the slight pain from his chest, he pushed himself up on the bed and looked out the window. '_Haruka_…_'_

Kakashi looked down at himself at cursed at the state he was in. He was wrapped in bandages from head to toe. This would not do, he wouldn't be able to protect his loved ones like this. He needed to get stronger for them, which meant more training for him.

He sighed and pushed his blanket off of him and tried to stand on his unsteady feet. Sure enough, he almost fell but after a few tries he managed to stand without the help of the bed or the wall.

Kakashi hated the hospital as much as he hated Danzō -but that story is for a different time. He saw his clothes folded neatly on the chair next to the only available window. He needed to leave, something in his gut was telling him that Haruka was in trouble. It was that uneasy feeling he got before fighting on a mission. His gut instincts have saved him countless of times through the years, he wasn't going to ignore it. Taking uneasy steps, he finally reached his clothes.

"Kakashi-senpai, you're not supposed to be leaving."

Pulling his final piece of clothing on, Kakashi turned around to the brown-haired man. "Tenzō, aren't _you_ supposed to be in bed too?"

The man, Tenzō, shook his head. "My wounds weren't as serious as yours were Senpai."

He shoved his hands into his pocket and looked out the window. "Well, I kinda need to leave."

"_Senpai_."

"Places to be, people to meet. Ne?" Giving the mokuton-jutsu user a smile, he quickly deactivated the seal preventing him from leaving and pulled the window open. "You should know me by now Tenzō, I don't like hospitals."

"But-"

"Oh, and for the fifth time, stop calling me Senpai!" He jumped out and quickly shunshined himself with the potted plant in the entrance of the hospital.

Somewhere in the hospital, a certain brown-haired kunoichi broke a clipboard from hearing about a certain ANBU's escape.

As Kakashi walked away, he suddenly shivered and could already imagine the lecture he would get from Rin about keeping his body healthy at all times. But it didn't really matter to him because like he told Tenzō, he had places to be.

By the time he reached Haruka's house, Kakashi knew he _probably_ should've stayed in bed. He was pushing his newly healed wounds to their limit, he could tell will the slight pain that was coming from his chest. Walking over to her door, something was already off. It was wide open and Kakashi could smell the metallic scent of blood.

"Haruka?" He bothered to call out, but he knew that there would be no point. He couldn't sense anybody in the house besides himself. His first stop -and last stop was at the living room. The moment he walked in there he knew that Haruka and her partner were in trouble.

The room was splattered in blood and in the middle of it was the black fur that belonged to Raijin. There was an area smeared in front of the fur, which probably meant that Haruka had kneeled down to see what it was.

It didn't make any sense though, Raijin was now a summon. A normal summon would have reversed-summon themselves for protection. So why was his blood splattered all over the living room like paint?

...Unless the person who did this used a jutsu or seal that disrupted a person's chakra flow, that in a way could work on a summon too.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Biting his finger, he let a drop of blood form before slamming his hand on a part of the floor that had no blood on it.

"Yo Kakashi." He was met with a raised paw.

"Pakkun-"

"What happened here?"He knew immediately it wasn't time to chat, judging by the blood surrounding him Kakashi had only summoned him here for a question.

"I'll tell you later, I need to ask something first. If a summon had their chakra flow disrupted-"

"Like a genjutsu?" The small pug asked.

"Something similar, but what I'm asking about is different."

"So instead of disrupting the chakra flow to the brain, you mean just the body and without the illusion."

"Yeah, so if a jutsu or seal was put onto a summon-"

"Then technically, we wouldn't be able to reverse-summon ourselves if that's what you're asking." Raising another paw up, Pakkun gave him a look. "Next time, you owe me some doggy biscuits. Later." And with that, he left.

He was right, Raijin's chakra flow was disrupted leading him to not be able to protect himself by reverse-summoning.

Cursing, Kakashi flew out of the room and followed after the bloody footsteps that belongs to Haruka's shoes. Inhaling, he could catch the faint smell of Haruka, Raijin, and the man that gave him his wounds.

Aotomi Hiro.

Checking his chakra, he knew that there was less than usual but it wouldn't hinder his fighting. He would just have to rely on taijutsu and only use ninjutsu as a last resort.

"I'm coming Haruka."

* * *

_**Haruka**_

* * *

"_Here, I got this for you." I handed Kakashi a wrapped book._

"_What for?"_

"_Well..." I turned red and looked away._

"_Oh, for one year right?"_

_I nodded my head, not trusting my voice. Kami, he's an idiot. And to think he would have at least remembered. He took the book and I heard the ripping of paper._

"_I wasn't sure if you had it or not, but I remembered that you liked to read that sorry excuse of a book. They were selling like some limited edition one and I thought why not get it for you."_

_He remained silent._

_Shit shit shit, he probably already has the book. _

"_I-If you don't like it then I can return it and buy you something else-"_

"_Here." He shoved something into my hands, causing me to almost drop it. "I didn't forget, I hope you know that." I narrowed my eyes at him and ripped off the wrapping. I'm going to take his silence towards my question as a 'I love it'._

_A soft gasp came out from my mouth and I felt Kakashi get nearer. "I knew you wanted a photo of your mother but didn't have any of her." He placed his hand on my head at the same time I traced my mother's face on the photo. "I found that with my father's stuff, along with a journal."_

_It must have been a team photo because there was an older man standing behind three people that looked around their early twenties. There was a man with black hair and on his right was the distinguishable silver hair color of the Hatake clan with his arm wrapped over the shoulder of the woman that was my mother._

"_Kakashi..."_

"_H-Hey, don't cry!"_

"_I'm so happy, it's the best gift ever." Carefully placing the photo on the table behind me, I stood on my toes and gave Kakashi a kiss over his mask. "Thank you." He pulled down his mask and kissed me. This one was hotter than the one I just gave him. We both got deeper and deeper into the kiss and the next thing I knew, Kakashi was carrying me up the stairs and into his old bedroom. _

_It didn't bother me for a second._

_Placing me gently onto the bed, I pulled off his hitai-ate and traced the scar that went over his eye. He quickly kissed me back and I could feel his comfortable warmth that came off of him. And while I stared into his eyes, both grey and red, I saw the love in them and_

_just_

_let_

_go._

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes, one of the happiest memories warming me until I saw.

It was horrifying.

I was laying in a pile of someone's blood and the overwhelming scent of it caused me to quickly stand up, only to fall soon after. I was so tired, why?

"D-Demon." I whirled my head to the right and saw a man lying on the ground, looking at me with one eye.

"What?"

"Are you happy? Are you satisfied that we're all dead now?" I shook my head, confused. "Hundred men went after you, and you killed them all. You stood there and had the _decency_ to even _laugh _as you slaughtered innocent men. You were enjoying it!"

"N-No-"

"I fucking hate you. Screw whatever Hiro-sama had said about you being the hope for the Aotomi Clan, you're a demon that needs to be killed-"

A man walked out from behind him and grabbed his neck, only to break it a second later. "Now, that just won't do. I can't have you kill my dear daughter, now can I?"

My eyes widened before I finally realized what that man had meant. All this blood, all this death, it's because of me.

It's because I couldn't control myself. He was right,

I am a demon, a monster.

"Haruka, you've made me so proud. That power, it could be used to once again rise the Aotomi Clan's power. We'll be powerful again!"

This power that I have? It only caused death, nothing good. I looked up and started at him with the most hate filled eyes I could muster. "You make me sick. I just killed members of your clan, do you have no remorse? You even killed the one survivor."

"My family? Oh no, they're also yours, dear daughter." I stiffen, only to realize what he said was true. I tried to stand again, but I fell onto my knees and didn't bother to move. My father started pacing, a weird cruel grin on his face. "Our clan used to be famous during the Warring States Period." He gave me a quick look before turning back to his pacing. "We were feared. Sure, the Aotomi weren't as powerful as the Senju or Uchiha, but we had power." He started laughing, one that was full of dark and hatred. "To think, we even saved your second Hokage and his lover."

"Lover?" I gave him a disbelieving look.

"Oh? You don't know about Uchiha Izumi?" I shook my head.

As long as I kept his distracted, I could somehow manage to wait until I could start feeling my chakra again. If I got passed my father, I could then start looking for Raijin. "He didn't have a lover and he hated the Uchiha."

"Oh, he did. No doubt." He tapped his eyes at me. "But Uchiha Izumi was also Madara's younger sister. You'd think he would hate her even more. She was kidnapped at a young age along with Tobirama when their clans were attacked by an unknown Clan."

All of this… It wasn't from the Naruto that I read. From what I remembered, all of Madara's siblings were boys.

This didn't make sense at all.

"We attacked their compound to save them, to gain favor from the Senju and Uchiha. And when they created Konoha, our clan hoped that they would send an invitation to join the new village. We had, after all, saved the siblings of both of the clan heads." He continued. "They could not have been more off. The Aotomi got an invitation, but not from Konoha. They got one from Iwagakure. And yet for some unknown reason, the Clan Head at the time kept tabs on Tobirama and Izumi. But their story is for a different time." He took a step forward and I tried to stand again, but we were both stopped by a sudden growl behind me.

"Don't take another step towards her Hiro." My knees buckled underneath me from relief.

Raijin.

My father didn't even looked shocked, he just took a step back and sighed. "When you escaped, I thought you actually ran away as in, far."

"You're a bigger idiot than I thought if you think I'd leave Haruka alone. I knew she'd come looking for me." I looked behind me and I saw Raijin in the worst state I'd ever seen him in my whole life. A part of his ear was missing and one of his eyes were closed with a wound like Kakashi's scar. He was limping on his back leg and had fur missing from parts of his body.

"Raijin..."

"Haruka needs to be controlled, look at what she's done!"

"She was perfectly fine until you showed up Hiro!"

"She's a danger to everyone." My father argued. "Look at this, _look at it!_"

Raijin looked at all the dead bodies laying around, he looked at all the blood on me and the forest that surrounded us. He didn't say anything. He was probably disappointed in me.

I looked down, not able to look at neither of them in the face.

"Why can't you leave me alone?" I asked in a quiet voice. "I never asked for this, I don't even want it." My hands fell in front of me and I dug them into the blood-soaked dirt. My tears blurred everything, but I didn't care. "_Just leave me alone!_"

"That, is something I just can not do my dear daughter."

"Quit calling me that!" There was a look of pain on his face before it was quickly replaced with a grin.

"Fine." In a blink of an eye, he had kicked Raijin away and pushed me down onto the ground. There was a yelp from my wolf before silence passed over us until he broke it. "I'm just going to make you forget about everything." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a seal. I struggled under him, but without my chakra, I couldn't do anything. My body ached with whatever chakra or demon or whatever it was that controlled me. "You'd be surprised by what seals can do. They can disrupt your chakra, they can even _kill people_." He held up the slip of paper in his hand. "This one will suppress your memories." He smirked at me. "You'll become the killer that you were destined to be."

"No… I will not." During his little talk, I was slowly moving my hand down to my weapons pouch. I didn't have anything in it besides one single weapon. I grabbed the extra kunai and stabbed him in the leg. His eyes widened with pain before he fell off of me. Not even taking another look, I crawled over to where Raijin laid. "R-Raijin, you need to get up." I shouted out. I heard grunts of pain coming from behind me, but I needed to _keep going_. "_Please _Raijin!"

"H-Haruka." His eye opened. Raijin struggled to stand up, but when he did I staggered to my feet and grabbed him.

"Thank Kami."

"_Look-_" A hand suddenly grabbed the back of my shirt and threw me away. I landed on...something...sharp-

_A sword_

I screamed out and looked down at my lower body, only to see one sticking out of me. Kami, it hurts, it _hurts so much_. Without even giving it an extra thought I grabbed the hilt from behind my back and I pulled it out. I almost blacked out from that pain alone; I fell forward onto my face, my hands splayed out in front of me.

Black spots were dancing along my vision and it was a struggle to keep my eyes open, but I continued...watching, I continued..._trying_.

He was kneeling over...Raijin? "You were a nuisance to being with." What was...he holding in his...hand? Was that...my kunai?

"Hiro, stop-"

"Too late." He lifted...his arm and he no it went...down onto...the body.

Raijin.

Raijin!

_Raijin!_

_RAIJIN!_

"_NO!" _I screamed and my hand shot out. A whimper came from him, from my wolf, from my best friend. With a power I didn't know I still had, I stood up and placed my hand onto my wound. "_Raijin…_"

I closed my eyes, my pain almost overwhelming everything. And I struggled, I struggled with breathing I struggled with seeing I struggled with standing I struggled with _everything_ but I continued I stood and I will protect what I _love_.

"_YOU S__**ON OF A BITCH!**__" _I roared and ran as fast as I could. I grabbed the man and with all the strength I could I threw my father against the tree only for me to hear a satisfying crack of a bone. I walked over to where his body lay and saw his face, his mouth and eyes widened with shock.

"I...can't...move." He looked at me with eyes I've seen in people that were about to die. "My...back, you broke...it."

Forgetting the pain I kneeled down and grabbed his shirt and raised his face near mine. "**You deserve...every punishment...that will come to you.**"

Despite the situation he was in he smiled at me again, this time blood on his teeth. But this smile was different. "Kill me...then. Become...a monster."

"**You've already...made me into...one.**" I picked up the fallen kunai next to him.

He laughed and laughed. "Yes...I have… Haven't...I?"

"**And you're...laughing at that?**"

"Yes...my dear daughter… I am. Ironic...isn't it? I killed...my own father...only to be...killed by my own...daughter."

My eyes stared at him, dead. "**I will nev**er be your daughter." His eyes widened with shock and pain, but I didn't care, not anymore.

I brought the kunai down.

Moving off of his body, I rushed to where Raijin laid. "R-Raijin?"

"...P-Pup." His one eye opened weakly. I looked down his body and saw a wound on his chest.

"I-I'll fix it, just sit tight." I placed my hand over it and tried summoning whatever chakra I had.

But I didn't have any.

"S-Stop, I...know Pup." I looked at him and shook my head.

"N-No, there has to be s-something I can do-"

He licked my hand, bringing even more tears to my eyes. "Don't..."

I couldn't face him, I _could not face him_. I buried my face into the fur around his neck.

"Pup...when you get...back to...Konoha…summon...Akira."

"Y-You'll be back too-"

"Pup...look at...me." I did as he wished, I looked at him. "I'm...going to have...to b-break...my p-promise..."

"Stop-"

"I'm...s-sorry I won't...be able to see...you get...m-married o-or...have c-children." I let out a sob and brought my shaky hand towards his face. "I'm...so sorry." He let out a whimper and I saw a tear fall from his eye.

No no _no no._

Despite my wound, I ignored the pain and moved Raijin's head onto my lap. "Please Raijin..." I looked down at him and saw a tear fall onto him.

"I...l-love you so much...Haruka." I placed my head gently onto his and cried. "Thank you...for g-giving me...the privilege of seeing...you g-grow."

"No..."

"You...were never...a monster... All I see...is a little...girl who...wants to be...loved. Never...think that...you're a...monster." I moved my face to look at him one last time. He slowly licked my face. "I love you...Haruka, my...Pup."

I nodded my head. "I love you Raijin, I love you so much." His head fell onto my lap, heavier than before, but his eye smiled before it closed,

Never to open again.

My best friend, my family, my wolf, my_ everything is gone_. He is dead and nothing will bring him back. The wolf that I played with, that I cried with, that I laughed with.

Gone.

"_U-Uh, h-hello there Mr. Doggy."_

"_Who the hell are you calling Doggy, you little runt?"_

I cried harder.

"_You promised me that you would carry me outside if I passed. And I did!"_

_He laughs. "A promise is a promise."_

I screamed.

"_Great Kami, why do I have to have you as a partner?"_

"_Because you love me so much Raijin."_

"_Go ahead and think that."_

_But he looks at me with love-filled eyes._

He will never again say, '_I love you'._

"_Pup, you okay?"_

_I shake my head._

"_Pup, it'll be fine." I remain silent. "Haruka."_

_I look up at him and see him look at me. "It'll be fine Haruka."_

_No._

_I start to cry harder, but on his shoulders instead._

He'll never let me cry on his shoulders while saying, _'It's okay'_.

"_Hey look, a takoyaki stand!"_

_He stares at me. "Well there goes your money."_

"_Shh, don't say that." He laughs, a one full of amusement. I look at his icy blue eyes and smile._

I'll never see him open his eyes again.

"Raijin...Raijin!" I rock his head in my arms. "No! No no no no! Please don't leave me, you promised!"

"_Where are we going?" He asks._

"_I don't know, anywhere I guess."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Yeah. I have you, don't I?"_

"_Of course, I'll always be there for you."_

"_Promise?"_

"_Promise."_

"Don't leave me like everyone else! Please! _Please!_" I cried and cried harder, wishing for Raijin to wake up, to look at me and tell me everything will be alright.

But like everybody else I loved, he stays still and never opens his eyes.

* * *

_**Kakashi**_

* * *

He will admit, his nose is not as good as Haruka's. That was probably why he was a little slower at getting to where he needed to be.

By the time he reached the outskirts of the forest, the scent of a number of peoples blood flew over him.

"Haruka."

He ran forward despite his protesting muscles and wounds. He needed to find her, he needed to make sure she was safe-

Kakashi suddenly stopped. There were no sounds in the forest, none. It was too quiet-

Then a sudden scream filled his ears and when he looked up, he saw a large pillar of black chakra shooting into the sky.

That was where she was, he needed to get there _now._

Kakashi ignored the dismembered bodies, he ignored the blood and the deceased. His only focus was on Haruka. When he reached the clearing that the black chakra had originated from, he had to take a step back from what he saw.

Aotomi Hiro, dead against a tree.

An unknown man, dead by neck break.

Haruka, laying over a wolf.

A wolf, fur as black as the night sky, still.

Kakashi was too late, he had followed Haruka on the fact that he wanted to protect her. But he had come too late, once again.

"Haruka." That was all he said, but she opened her eyes. He saw a certain darkness, a dead look in her eye that she didn't have before.

"...Kakashi." She said. Her mouth moved again with a word barely audible, but he was able to hear it. "_Help_."

That was all Kakashi needed to hear. He shot forward, and ran towards Haruka and Raijin.

* * *

"Danzō-sama, we have lost contact with Cat."

"What?" The man slammed his cane down onto the ground.

"Another member found him, dismembered." The one-eyed man sighed.

"What of the girl?"

Mouse shook his head. "She killed the Aotomi Clan Head and Hatake Kakashi found her before us."

"His plan failed then." Danzō said angrily. "And our plan is a fail too."

* * *

**A/N:**_ OMG I LIKE SERIOUSLY TEARED UP WRITING THIS CHAPTER. LIKE NO KIDDING I CRIED._

_Raijin, poor poor Raijin._

_So that happened guys, sorry. But then again, I'm kinda not. But like legit, I was in tears because Raijin was like my favorite OC I've ever created (next to like Izumi and Haruka)._

_SO OMG THOSE OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORY, DO YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE I ADDED IZUMI AND TOBIRAMA AND WOAH BAM WA-POW._

_And for those of you who don't understand or read my other story, it's a Tobirama x OC story and the main character is Uchiha Izumi who is the younger sister of Madara and the twin sister of Izuna. Isn't that like amazing?_

_But I will warn you that this won't be the last time you see Izumi in my story, she'll be a pretty important character after this. (You don't have to read _**_Looking into His Eyes_**_ though, don't worry for those of you who don't want too.)_

_My dad forgot to pay the internet bill for like two months so my internet was cut off which means: Nothing to do. So I did the thing I could like only do and started writing this chapter during the day. I ended up finishing it by the end of it so…_

_Like so much shit happened in this chapter I don't even know how to put it into words. It's just...wow. Well, I did at least include a new character that goes by the name Tenzō (Yamato)_ _but for me, it sounds WAYY to much like Danzō and I fucking hate the guy. But I do love Tenzō xD_

_So while I was writing (typing) this chapter, I realized that I needed a new title and a summary if I'm going to post part two into a new story, so I came up with them! I'll be posting the new story itself right after I finish writing the first chapter for it, which I will write right after I finish part one. The title and summary are both still WIP so if you guys have any comments or input on them, please tell me!_

_Title: __**Out of Time**_

_Summary: __**She dreamt of a future that she vowed to change. Already failing once, she would not fail again for this time, she has more than the lives of her loved ones at stake. Sequel to In Time. Slight AU, SI-OC**_

_Please tell me how you think! Like I said, I'm totally open for input. In fact, I would love it if you did leave a comment about it! It'll help like, a lot._

_How did you guys think of the chapter? I am pretty proud of it, but I wouldn't know unless you guys _**_review_**_ so please _**_review_**_ (I'm probably hinting at something you guys *cough cough*) If it was confusing I am like totally sorry because half way writing some of the story I was like,_

_What?_

_Lol you know it's not good if the author herself get's confused. (I did go back to fix those parts tho so.)_

_So I recommend _**_Kill Her Tomorrow_**_ by _**_Anon465_**_. It's a Kankuro x OC story that doesn't have the amount of love that it deserves! It's so well written and just GO READ IT._

_So other than that please follow/fav. if you haven't already._

_DON'T FORGET TO _**_REVIEW_**_. *hint hint cough cough*_

_Hehe until next time!~_


	33. Defeat

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.

* * *

"**So much to tell you**

**And most of all goodbye**

**But I know that you can't hear me any more.**

**It's so loud inside my head**

**With words that I should have said**

**And as I drown in my regrets**

**I can't take back the words I never said."**

_Words _by Skylar Grey

* * *

**Defeat**

"H-How is she?"

"...She won't wake up Akiye-san."

The white-haired woman's face fell before she placed her hands on her face. Her voice shook while tears fell. "I've been in a coma for all these years and the first news I get is that my daughter is in one."

"I couldn't protect them." Kakashi's hands balled. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." She took a deep breath to calm herself. "If you would help me, I'd like to go back to my room."

"Of course Akiye-san." Taking one last look at the gardens in front of them, he placed his hands on the handles of Akiye's wheelchair and lead them back into the hospital.

Many things happened when he came back to Konoha. He had placed Raijin into a body scroll and carried Haruka all the way to the hospital, only to see the nurses in a panic.

Aotomi Akiye –or now Tsuchiya Akiye, had woken up after 12 years in a coma. Kakashi couldn't help but think the death of the man that she had once called husband and her waking up was too much of a coincidence to not be one.

The moment he came running in with Haruka, she was carted off to the surgery room and then to ICU soon after. The stab wound that she had got had luckily missed any vital organs but had caused her to loose too much blood. Akiye on the other hand was perfectly fine for someone in a coma for over a decade. The only thing that she had trouble with was walking. She had lost all of her muscle mass because the only thing she had done was lay on a bed.

All of this happened two weeks ago; Haruka was still in a coma and Kakashi was starting to worry for her.

After making sure Akiye was comfortable, Kakashi walked to the Memorial Stone and stood in front of it, reading all the names that were lost in the last war. He saw many names he knew and didn't, but his eye caught the name of a certain person.

Uchiha Obito.

He scoffed; that idiot was still alive and causing havoc for them all.

"Kakashi! _Kakashi!_"

Already sensing the girl's chakra, he turned around and shoved his hands in his pockets. "What Rin?"

"She's awake." Rin panted. "Haruka's awake." His eye –and his hidden one widened– but before Kakashi could take another step, he sensed that Rin had more to say. "She's not responding to anyone. She keeps asking for Raijin."

He muttered a curse before nodding his head. "Alright, let's go."

When they reached the hospital, Kakashi slammed the doors opened and rushed up the stairs.

Reaching her door he slightly opened it and called out her name. "Haruka?" He asked as he slowly walked into her room. She didn't respond to him and continued staring at the wall. She was sitting up on the bed, with her hands gripping the blankets on her. Her hair hung limply around her face, causing the dark circles under eyes to look even darker. Haruka looked at him and Kakashi heard Rin gasp.

Her eyes looked dead.

She turned her eyes to Rin but quickly looked back forward, not saying anything. Kakashi and Rin moved closer to her bed but made sure to move slowly, not wanting to scare Haruka. He saw her lips move but didn't hear anything.

"What did you say Haruka?"

"...I want Raijin." Both of them didn't know how to respond. "Where is he Kakashi? Where is Raijin?"

"Haruka..."

"I want Raijin." It seemed that was the only thing Haruka wanted to say,

And this continued for another week.

* * *

_**Two weeks later…**_

* * *

"You'll be discharged, but your mother is going to have to stay a little longer to undergo some tests."

"Alright." Haruka grabbed her bag and left the room without another word to the doctor. She turned the corner and opened the door to her mother's room, not bothering to knock.

"Haruka."

"Mom, I'm going to go home now. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Okay Haruka." Akiye gave her a smile, hoping that her daughter would return one. "Be careful."

"...Yeah. Bye." That was all Haruka said and she quickly closed the door, ignoring the look of sadness in her mother's eyes because she just...

Did not care.

She just needed to go home, after that everything would be fine.

A few minutes later, Haruka was outside the hospital and on her way home. She just walked, not wanting to use her chakra, but avoided every single Inuzuka that she could smell. She didn't want to see them with their partners. Why the hell would she?

It took her a while because she was walking as slow as she could but she finally reached home. The last memories of this place made her want to rip it apart bit by bit and set fire to it. She could barely call this place home anymore. It was anything _but_ that.

Bracing herself, she opened the front door and was...shocked. Someone had come by her house and replaced the furniture and cleaned up the blood and fur. Hesitatingly taking off her sandals, she took small steps to the living room.

Haruka had expected to smell blood, but even that smell was gone. It was all replaced by that lemon cleaning product that she –and other nose sensitive shinobi– hated. Whoever cleaned everything up knew about it, it was the only product that would take away the scent of blood for them, not even bleach could do that.

She threw her bag onto the couch and inspected the whole room. The room itself looked as if nothing had damaged it a month ago, the painting and pictures were all back in the spot that they were supposed to be in-

No, one was missing. The one that was on the picture frame next to the photo she received from Kakashi.

The photo missing was one of her and Raijin.

"_No_."

Realizing this, Haruka fell to her knees and just stayed there, looking at nothing, until something caught her eye. It was a picture frame facing photo down. She picked it up from the storage place under the living room table and flipped it over, only for a cry to leave her mouth.

"_Raijin._"

Seeing herself smiling in the photo with her arms wrapped around his neck caused something in her to snap. She growled and threw the photo frame down onto the ground. Haruka quickly stood up and looked around and just...screamed.

It was just too much, _too much._

* * *

When Haruka's eyes finally opened, she was looking at the ceiling of the living room. She felt the hard, cold wooden floor beneath her head. She groaned from the pounding headache she felt and went to move her hand to her face when she stopped. A few hours ago her hands had no scratches, no deep cuts that bled; they only adorned the scars that she had gotten over the years. "What the hell..." But now they had glass stuck in them, cuts that were bleeding from her palm, and red angry scratches on the back of her hand. Haruka, seeing this, quickly sat up and let out a shocked gasp.

In the span of one month, her living room's been destroyed twice. Once, by the man she once called father. The second time, must have been because of her.

She quickly stood up and ran out of the living room. She didn't pause at the kitchen, she didn't slow down while climbing the stairs, she ran as fast as she could towards the room she used to share with her wolf.

Haruka threw the door to her room open and went straight to her closet doors, not caring about the items on the ground. She reached for her clothing but stopped when she realized something. "Shit, I need a bag." Haruka ran back out towards the hallway and grabbed one before returning back to her closet. She started shoving clothes into, not caring about anything else.

She had to leave, she couldn't stay.

The moment her bag was filled with all her clothes, she grabbed a few personal things and left her house.

Halfway walking, Haruka finally calmed down and realized that she had no where to go. She didn't want to bother her friends, especially not Kakashi. She didn't want him to see her the way she was right now, to see how pathetic she was acting. The only other place she _could _go was to her mother's room at the hospital, but people aren't allowed to stay there overnight unless it's for an important reason.

But she _was_ a Shinobi and sneaking into a hospital building wasn't hard at all.

* * *

_**One month later...**_

* * *

"Please Haruka, we're all worried about you-"

"Leave me be Kakashi, I don't want to see anyone right now." She pushed passed him and started walking down the hallway, back to her mother's room.

"I'm sick and tired of that excuse Haruka." Kakashi grabbed her shoulder and whirled her back to face him. "It's been two months since that day and I understand you're still mourning, believe me." A flash of pain crossed her face but he kept on going, he needed her to understand. "But our friends aren't the only one who wants to see you now, the Hokage is demanding to know what happened that day. He's been pushing this off because he understood how...traumatizing their deaths were for you but the Council Haruka, they're at their limit."

"I _can't_."

"They don't care if you can or can't! The Hokage is doing the damn best he can for more time but it's failing. There's only so much he can do." He pulled out a book and shoved it in her hands. "This is the newest Iwagakure Bingo Book. I managed to snatch one off of a Iwa-nin on one of my missions." Haruka looked at Kakashi and back down at the book. It was a brown colored one, different from the green Bingo Book issued in Konoha.

"So? I know I'm in their Bingo Book-"

"You're now considered as an S-rank because of that day." Her eyes widened before she immediately opened the book and flipped to the page where she found herself last time. There was a pretty old photo of her ––nothing's changed there–– but what did change, just like Kakashi said, was her rank. Before she was considered a B-rank to a pretty low A-rank. Now she was an S-rank to them. "I know you don't want to see this, but you have too."

He grabbed her shoulders and stared into her red eyes with his lone grey one. "You _need_ to tell the Hokage what happened." They stayed like that for a few seconds before Haruka narrowed her eyes angrily and shoved the book into his chest, causing him to let go of her so he could catch the book before it fell.

"I _can't_." She started pacing in front of him, her hand on her forehead.

"You have-"

"I literally mean it!" She suddenly stopped and looked at Kakashi with eyes so filled with anguish and guilt, he had to hold in his gasp. "I don't remember what happened that night Kakashi. I blacked out and then...nothing. I can't recall _anything_." He made a move to speak but Haruka help up her hand to stop him. "I remember what I did to my father and I know what happened after my blackout, and I do know I killed a lot from my clan–"

"...Haruka." Looking at Kakashi's face, she faltered in her words. "You didn't kill a lot, you killed almost every shinobi in the Aotomi Clan. The only one's left were the children and civilians that stayed in Iwa that day."

"...W-Wait _what?_"

"I'm sorry Haruka." Her back hit the wall and she slid down it. Her eyes revealed how...broken she was. Haruka must have been hiding it from him, so he wouldn't worry. Her face fell into her hands and Kakashi saw her shoulders shaking.

"Why me Kakashi?" He kneeled down in front of her and grabbed a hold of her hands. The Haruka he was talking to a few minutes ago with a brave face wasn't the real one, the real Haruka was the one sitting in front of him crying, so unsure of what to do. "I never wanted any of this to happen." She raised her head up and he saw big, fat tears streaming down her face. She looked broken, lost,

Scared.

"I know." He pulled her in for a hug, the first one in the last two months. Kakashi rubbed her back in circles, trying to soothe his girlfriend's pain. They stayed like this in the hallway, Haruka crying in his arms while he continued comforting her.

...Well, that _was_ until a certain Mokuton user came walking down the hall.

"Kakashi-Senpai?"

They both froze but Haruka quickly moved away and looked up at Kakashi while wiping her tears off. He quickly stood up in front of her and looked at Tenzō. "Tenzō, I've told you before to stop calling me Senpai."

The brown-haired man shrugged his shoulders before leaning to his right to look at Haruka. "Who's that Senpai?"

Haruka moved away from Kakashi's back and looked at him. "I'm Aotomi Haruka." Tenzō's eyes widened and seemed to recognize her name. He looked at Kakashi and then back at Haruka, only to do that a few more times, causing an awkward air to fill the hall.

"Y-You're-" He seemed to struggle with his words and Haruka couldn't help but give a small laugh as she watched him. "Y-You're Kakashi-Senpai's girlfriend!"

"Um...yeah."

"Kami Tenzō, why not announce it to the world?" Kakashi said as he face-palmed himself.

"I-I'm sorry! I came- wait I mean- um…" Tenzō sighed before rubbing the back of his head. "I'm apologize for interrupting."

"It's fine." Haruka grabbed the silver-haired man's arm. "We were about to leave."

"We were?"

"You are?"

She nodded her head and started pulling on Kakashi's arm. "Yes, to go see the Hokage." Realization flashed in Kakashi's eye before he nodded. "It was nice meeting you Tenzo-san, I would like to talk to you again."

They said their goodbyes and as soon as Tenzo left, she told Kakashi that she'd go to see the Hokage if he'd come along. He agreed and not even a second later, they shunshined out of the hallway.

When they reached the Hokage Tower, Kakashi noticed that Haruka's heart rate starting rising.

"Everything okay?" He asked worryingly.

"Yeah. Just nervous and kind of...scared." He grabbed her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze before letting it go again.

"You'll be fine."

They entered the building and luckily, they came at a time where the Hokage wasn't too busy. Bracing herself, she opened the door to his office and walked in, Kakashi following closely behind.

"Hokage-sama?" The old man looked up from his spot and gave Haruka a warm, friendly smile.

"Ah, Haruka-chan. I see Kakashi has told you?" She nodded her head. He motioned for them to come closer. "I know that it must be a hard time for you but I need to know what happened that day."

She winced and turned her head down. "I cannot remember much that night Hokage-sama."

He sighed and took a deep breath of his smoke before blowing it back out. "I see… Can you tell me what you do remember?" She took a deep breath and recalled everything she remembered.

It took quite a while but when she was finally done with telling her story the Hokage stood up and took blew out some smoke.

"H-Hokage-sama?" The aged man sighed before turning to the two Jounins.

"You are suspended from your shinobi duties for two weeks. It was your duty to inform us about the breach in security instead of running off after the enemy-nin."

Haruka looked down. "I apologize."

"But I understand why you had to make the choices you made." The Hokage sat back down. "Thank you for coming here on your own time."

She understood what he was saying. He was dismissing them both. "We will take our leave then Hokage-sama." He nodded his head and turned towards his paperwork.

* * *

"You should be happy that he only suspended you for two weeks Haruka."

"...I know. I thought he'd drop me down a rank or something even worse." Kakashi only sighed and placed his hand onto her head. "Well, let's go tell your mother the good news."

They walked in silence through the marketplace, only stopping once when Haruka bought a little boy ice cream after seeing him crying over the fallen one on the ground.

"...Hey Kakashi?"

"Yeah?" He turned his head towards Haruka, his hands in his pockets.

"Where do you think we'll be in a few years?"

His eyebrows rose at what she asked. "That's a pretty weird question." She just shrugged her shoulders at his comment. "Well, despite my vast, worldly knowledge, that is a question I don't have the answer too."

Haruka smiled at his over-exaggeration, she couldn't help but feel slightly amused by his choice of words. Seeing this, Kakashi also smiled – not that she would know because of the mask.

What the he didn't realize was that this was the first smile Haruka's had since Raijin's death.

* * *

**A/N:**_ …_

_Writer's block? Yup._

_Crappy chapter? Yup._

_Do I want to punch myself in the face? Yup._

_Do I want to delete this chapter and start new? No, absolutely not._

_I'm really sorry for how late this has gotten. I just feel slightly...unmotivated with this story, like I know this is asking a lot but could you guys _**_review _**_more? Please? Like that might be a reason why my writer's block won't go away. _

_I really really want to know how you guys feel towards this story, like I won't know if the same people keep reviewing ( and I do love your reviews to those of you who do review, so thank you, it makes my heart all warm and fuzzy). I want new perspectives, get me? Like it can be a simple, "great chapter, loved blah blah blah" or "can't wait until the next one" kind of reviews. I know I'm asking a lot but, please?_

_I'm not going to disappear on this story, heaven's no, but like I said, motivation tends to be a key factor for writing (well for me anyways). _

_I recommend _**_Tempest, Vol 2 _**_by _**_Mashtar_**_. It's an OC story that involves being the twin of Yamanaka Ino._

_So that's about it, please _**_review _**_and don't forget to follow/fav. if you haven't already. _

_Until next time!~_

* * *

**TamashinoSuzume: **_Thank you for all the reviews I've received from you since chapter 11! I'm sorry that the last chapter caused you to cry (because it sure as hell made me cry too)! I wish I could trade his soul with Danzo's but sadly, that man still has a role to play in upcoming scenes!_

**Himeno Kazehito:** _Omg you, I can't thank you enough for all the reviews you've done, there are so many xD I was so happy to include Izumi into this story and sadly, she won't be coming up anytime soon in _**_In Time _**_(Probably, idk yet). But the letters thing is actually a great idea, I might even consider it! Thanks for the great idea!_

**Storylover2036: **_Imagine my shock when I got two reviews from you for the same chapter! I was actually very shocked xD I was just as excited as you when I included Izumi, so no sorry needed! I know I'm very cruel ;) But Raijin's death was something that I've had planned out since like the fifth chapter xD So techincally, it was inevidable (and don't worry, Raijin was probably my fav. oc too xD)_

**Guest: **_Thank you for your comment! I hope that you weren't that disappointed in this chapter Dx_

**helenGet: **_Thanks, that made me blush. It made me happy knowing that my hard work on this story wasn't wasted xD_

**kissesdechu: **_Here's the newest chapter, I hope you enjoyed it and wasn't disappointed!_


	34. Puppies

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN HARUKA AND ANY OTHER OC.

* * *

**Maybe there's something you're afraid to say, or someone you're afraid to love, or somewhere you're afraid to go. It's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt because it matters.**

John Green and David Levithan, _Will Grayson, Will Grayson_

* * *

**Puppies**

"Where...did you bury him Kakashi?"

Kakashi placed his hand on my shoulders and led me out of my house and to the backyard. I had avoided this place, somewhat guessing that he would have buried Raijin back here.

"I buried him in his favorite spot under the tree." I suddenly stopped, my legs unintentionally freezing before the steps down onto the grass. I looked at the lone cherry blossom tree in my backyard and started feeling tears building up.

That spot was Raijin's favorite spot to be in. He loved staying under the shade of the tree, just to rest whenever he felt like it. When he wasn't with me, you would have found him laying under there sleeping.

"Haruka?" Kakashi looked worryingly at me. He had already walked down the stairs and for once I was taller than him. He extended his hand. "It'll be fine, I'll be with you." I nodded my head and took his hand.

We walked in silence, the feeling of anguish getting stronger and stronger as I got near the newly dug ground.

By the time we reached him I had tears streaming down my face, but Kakashi didn't mention it. In fact, he even held onto my hand even tighter.

* * *

I wiped the tears from my face and smiled at Kakashi. "There's one more thing I need to do." I stood up from my spot and gathered my chakra. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

This may have been late but I promised Raijin, didn't I?

A black seal appeared on the ground where I placed my hand and in a matter of seconds a large, white wolf was standing there. "Haruka-sama."

I smiled at the female wolf. I'd met her a few times when Raijin introduced his mate to me. "Akira."

She looked at the ground behind me before turning her head back to me. She must have saw something in my eyes because her ears fell and her head bowed. "He is gone, isn't he?" I painfully nodded my head and she whimpered.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't protect him."

She shook her head. "Knowing him, he died to protect you." Akira sat down before starting to go throw handseals I didn't know and probably only canine's did.

"What are you doing-"

"Please just watch, Haruka-sama." She smiled at me before slamming her paw onto the ground. Similar to the Kuchiyose jutsu a black seal appeared before disappearing into smoke, and it's place was a...puppy.

"Momma!"

I fell to my knees, Kakashi completely forgotten in the background. The unknown puppy was a mirror image to Raijin, the only thing different were the eyes. They were purple, like Akira's, instead of the icy blue eyes I was so used too. "Pup, come here." Pain shot throughout my body at hearing that nickname. I knew from asking Raijin that 'pup' was used as a name for young ones in his Clan. "Haruka-sama, this is Kaminari."

"Kaminari?" I asked in a small voice. The bundle of fur heard me call his name and perked his ears up before running towards me.

"Hi!" He took a tentative sniff towards me before sitting down with his tail wagging. "You smell nice!" I forced a smile onto my face before gently placing my hand on his little head. He was so tiny, he'd probably only reach my knees if I stood up. "The human standing behind you smells like dogs."

I laughed. "Well, he _is_ a dog summoner."

"Really?" Kaminari sat up and ran towards him. "Hi mister!" Kakashi, already knowing how to deal with puppies because of his own summons, smiled and started entertaining him.

While this was happening Akira walked over to where I was kneeling. "We were so happy when we found out I had gotten pregnant. But it was hard, we almost lost Kaminari."

I looked at her and couldn't help but shed a few tears. She was Raijin mate, he was _the_ _one_. And I just had to take him away from her.

"Akira-"

"Please do not blame yourself Haurka-sama. It is not your fault."

"But it is."

Akira placed her paw on my lap. "It was not. Raijin told me that he would do anything for you, that he would even _die_ for you. He loved you Haruka-sama. He loved you as if you were his own." I looked away. How could she even stand me? "I miss him and I know that you feel guilt – you _smell_ like guilt – but I hope that I can help you." I didn't reply because my guilt wouldn't _let _me. "It would be the greatest honor to protect you as my mate once did. You are such a compassionate summoner and friend."

"Akira..."

"I may not be as strong as he was but…please summon me whenever you are in trouble." My head flew up and I met with her purple eyes. "I will protect the one being in the world Raijin would die for." A tear fell from her eyes. "Please." I nodded my head and the sad aura surrounding us disappeared when we heard a playful growl come from behind me. We looked and saw Kakashi and Kaminari playing tug of war with a stick."I can smell your bond with him Haruka-sama. You two are close, similar to us wolves and their mates."

"I don't know about _that_-"

"Kaminari would be a wonderful partner for any future puppies." I shook my head but Akira scoffed. "_Sure_."

* * *

I said goodbye to Akira and her son and started walking towards the Hospital alone since Kakashi had to go somewhere. I needed to apologize to my mom with the way I had been acting for the past month.

I went to the hospital and walked up the usual stairs to where she was staying. "Mom?" I asked tentatively as I opened her door. Usually, I just open it but today felt...different.

"Haruka?" She was sitting up on the bed, reading a book.

"I need to apologize..." I said as I started rubbing my arms. I felt so...naked in situation's like this, especially since I was so used to having a certain wolf around me almost 24/7 that would have helped me in situations like this.

"No, you don't have too. I understand _why_ you're acting like this. Just because of certain problems I've faced doesn't mean I've lost my touch with the feeling of loss Haruka." She shifted her covers off and stood up, facing me. "You're mourning and I understand."

I just stood by the open door pathetically. "That still doesn't give me a valid excuse to treat you the way I did-"

She walked over to me and placed her hands on my shoulders. Mom was still taller than me by about two or three inches, but it made me feel _safer_. "I wasn't bothered by it." She gave me an understanding smile. "I've missed out on a lot but I want you to know that _I love you_. So much Haruka."

I was so_ emotional_. I felt tears fall from my eyes before I tried to smile. "I love you too." She sighed with a smile on her face before pulling me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around her and I felt like such a little kid again, I was four years old again and I was telling my mom that I loved her. Basically what was happening now but almost 15 years later. "I missed you mom." I cried into her shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her. "I missed you so much."

She hugged me even harder, comforting me only in a way a mother could. "I did too." I cried even harder. After admitting that out loud, I couldn't help but think of today.

"I miss him mom, I miss him so much." Her only response was the squeeze me harder.

* * *

**November**

* * *

"Haruka?"

I leaned my head to the right and looked at my mom in the kitchen. "Yeah?"

"Where are all the steaks I bought?" She asked my, popping her head up from behind the freezer door.

"I ate them?"

"All of them?" I nodded my head sheepishly. "Raw?" I just kept nodding my head. "What the hell?"

"I dunno. I was hungry and when I opened the freezer…it looked good." She just sighed and shook her head.

In July, my mom finally was able to leave the hospital and move back into the house. I had planned on not staying because of certain reasons, but I realized I couldn't just leave her alone, not after all this time. So along with Kakashi, we cleaned up what I did to the living room. But even after that, I haven't set foot in the living room but my mom never pushed me on why.

I'm pretty sure Kakashi told her why too.

"I'm not even going to bother questioning you. Just go buy some because we're eating _cooked_ steak for dinner."

"Money?" My mom nodded her head and handed me some money. "I'll be right back then." I left my house and walked comfortably down the road towards the marketplace. But for some unknown reason, I felt like I was being watched. I looked around and saw nobody and smelled no one.

Huh, must be my imagination then.

I turned back and continued along the path.

* * *

**December**

* * *

I sat by my toilet, retching my goddamn guts out. My mom was standing behind me with my hair in her hands, making sure I wasn't getting any of my puke on them. "Kami...kill me_ now_."

"Haruka, you're overreacting."

"I've developed a relationship with this toilet." I leaned against her legs and sighed pleasurably when she placed her cold hands against my forehead. When I opened one eye I saw her looking at me worryingly with her red eyes, similar to the color of mine.

"What did you eat last week?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't-"

Nope, I can't finish that sentence without barfing at my mom's feet. My head flew to the toilet _again_. She stopped talking and the only sounds were the ones I was making to the toilet while I mentally prayed that whatever I had would soon be over.

After the second puke of the day, my stomach calmed itself down and I was able to leave. "Go to the hospital and get whatever that's wrong with you checked." She said to me while she starting making something to eat in the kitchen. I wouldn't eat it just because I have that disgusting taste in my mouth that doesn't leave your mouth after puking.

"That means I'd have to leave. I look like crap!" I laid my head against the table.

"So?" Mom whirled around and narrowed her eyes threateningly. "Don't make me drag you there."

"But-"

"You've been puking at _least_ once a day Haruka, something's wrong with you, so go." I pulled myself up and walked pitifully up the stairs and to my room. When I reached the top, I was _out of breath_.

What the _fuck._

I tried to wrap my head around this as I opened the door to my room, but it was forgotten when I saw that Akira and Kaminari were already waiting for me there; Akira was fussing with her son while he was trying to avoid being licked. "Mom, stop!"

"Get over here Kaminari, I'm not asking again!"

I winced. I guess moms are just terrifying universally, aren't they? Humans, dogs, they're not any different.

"I'd give in now if I were you Kaminari. It's not going to work, moms are just...scary." I advised as I changed into some proper outside clothes.

"Where are you going Haruka-sama?" Akira asked me in between cleaning her son.

I pulled the shirt over my head. "To the hospital. Mom's making me."

The black-furred puppy tried to sneak away but she bit him at the scruff and pulled him back towards her paws. "Would you like us to come along?"

"Sure, why not. I don't think Kaminari's been in that area yet." Walking out of the room, they followed after me. "Mom, I'm leaving."

"I'll be here, doing...something." I scoffed and walked out of the house.

In the past six months, I've learned how to accept Raijin's death. With Akira as my new partner, she's helped me so much. She was there for me when I broke down in my room and I was there for her when she started crying from missing her mate.

She will never replace Raijin, but I came to terms with her being my new partner. It was hard at first, I was...against it, I think. But as time went on, I _finally_ realized that he wasn't going to be coming back anymore. I think deep down inside, I was too scared to admit that. But I had something of his to protect, his only child Kaminari. I haven't moved on, but...I'm getting there.

We reached the hospital in a pretty decent time and I felt like I wanted to puke. Fucking _again_.

But luckily, what it was passed and I was able to walk into the hospital. And guess who just happened to be there standing in front of me?

Rin. Dearest _Rin_.

"Kami, thank Kami!" I ran to her and grabbed her arm.

"H-Haruka?"

"I think I'm dying." She raised an eyebrow at my statement. "...Fine, I'm just puking everyday."

"Oh." Rin looked at the clock on the wall behind me and smiled. "Well you literally found me at like the perfect time Haruka-chan."

I looked back at Akira and smiled. "Well, I'll be back." I followed after Rin – but not before having to pause because I thought I needed to puke again. I didn't, but I felt like I had too.

She managed to find an empty examination room and that's where we went. I sat down on the chair and I had a vague flashback of the annual physicals in August that every Shinobi needed – and hated – to take.

"So...just puke?" I nodded my head. "Okay then, let's get started."

* * *

_**One hour later…**_

* * *

I sat patiently at my seat, waiting for Rin to tell me what the hell was wrong with me.

"Um… I'm going to ask one last question."

"Sure."

Rin placed her clipboard on the small table next to her. "When did you last get your period?"

"I...don't know. I take the pill that are handed out to us so..."

"Did you miss any dates?" She asked.

"No– wait, yes. I forgot to take it and took it like a week later than the actual day I was supposed to take it." I narrowed my eyes at her. "You're scaring me with these questions Rin."

She just smiled at me. "Well, I don't know how I should put this..." Rin took a deep breath and stood up, looking at me with her brown eyes. "You're pregnant."

I blanched. "Excuse me? No no no, you've _got_ to be kidding me."

"Haruka-"

"This is totally a joke!" I laughed. "Nice one Rin, you almost got me there."

Rin took a step back before running her hand through her short hair. "Nope. You're pregnant."

"No."

"Yes."

"No." I argued.

"Yes Haruka."

"It's not possible-"

"Were you two using...um...protection?"

My face did the total opposite of what it did a few seconds ago and turned red. "W-Why? I mean- Um...yes."

"Well, you're pregnant. That's that. Probably the reason behind your morning sickness."

"Wait so..." I slowly looked at her with wide _wide_ eyes. "I'm going to be a mom."

"Yes."

"At 18 years old." Rin nodded her head.

"It's not a bad age for us, we never know when we'll die."

You'd think I would have fainted, or just simply sit there and wait until the news had hit me. Maybe even just accept the news.

Well, that totally _did_ _not_ happen.

"_That_ _fucking __bastard forgot to use a goddamn condom!" _I shrieked out, probably getting the attention of the whole hospital. Maybe even the damn guy himself, wherever he was in the damn village. I also _may_ have broken her clipboard.

And the chair in the process.

* * *

Instead of walking out of the hospital like I was doing the walk of shame after a one-night stand, I shunshined out of it and popped into existence right next to Kaminari, shocking the poor puppy.

"Um...Haruka-sama?" I just held up my hand and shook my head. Akira probably heard my 'announcement' from my scream earlier, so she understood I didn't want to talk about it. "Come Kaminari, we are leaving."

"Akira..." I turned my head to her. "What...should I do?"

"Well, that is not a question I should be answering for you."

"I figured." I grumbled under my breath.

I was pregnant. _Pregnant_. I haven't even told the damn idiot the l-word yet, how the hell am I supposed to be pregnant with his child? Maybe Rin was wrong, maybe I'm_ not_.

...Actually, forget I ever thought that.

"Why not tell your mate about it?"

I let out a dark laugh before turning my head towards the sky. "I don't think I fully realize what's happening to me, so I highly doubt I could actually _tell_ him." I brought my hand to my face and groaned. "_Kami_, I don't even know what to do now."

"It will be fine Haruka-sama."

My shoulders fell and I bowed my head as I walked. "I have no idea Akira if _I_ will be."

* * *

"I'm home." I kept the door open and let Akira and Kaminari in first. Mom walked out of the kitchen with an apron tied around her.

"Welcome home. What did the doctor say?"

"Um..." I looked down at Akira before looking back up at my mom. "They don't know yet.

She narrowed her eyes and placed her hand against her hip. "You're lying."

"No-"

"Haruka, what's wrong with you?"

If I say it out loud, then that makes everything...real. No no, I couldn't say it when I could barley _believe_ it!

"Nothing-" Someone knocked on the door, interrupting our conversation. I was so happy at whoever was knocking at the door, they may have just saved my interrogation. "Wait, someone's at the door." I opened it and guess who just had to be standing there.

Kakashi.

My eyes widened and-

Oh Kami, I can't breathe I can't breathe _I can't breathe-_

* * *

"-ruka? Haruka?" I groaned and my eyes fluttered open.

"M-Mom?" I moaned out. I sat up and saw her looking at me with her calculating, red eyes.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" I shook my head and tried to deny her accusation, but she held up her hand. "I finally tied everything together. Your puking, the cravings for _raw steak_, you're pregnant."

"M-Mom..."

She stood up and rubbed her face. "_Kami,_ I've barely been a mom again for six months and now I'm going to be a grandma."

"I'm sorry-"

She shook her head before placing her hands on my cheeks and giving me a light peck on my forehead. "I'm not mad, just...shocked." Standing up, my mom grabbed my hand and pulled me up so I was standing. "Kakashi's downstairs."

"And…?"

She gave me a look. "You need to tell him."

My eyes must have widened like saucers because I tried to take a step back, but she grabbed my arm. "I can't tell him!"

"You need too."

I shook my head furiously. "No-"

"Tell me what?" I shrieked and tripped – conveniently too – into my mother's arms.

"N-Nothing!" I said as I turned to Kakashi.

He narrowed his grey eye at me. "Haruka."

"Well, I'm leaving. You two have some things to talk about." My mom gave me a smile and _disappeared_. What, the _hell. _She left me here, alone, with _him. _

Somebody just kill me now.

"Haruka, what's she talking about?" Kakashi took a step forward and I took a step back. "Is it related to you fainting earlier?" He took another step forward but unlike him I had no where else to go since my back hit the wall of my room.

"Kind of." I answered in a small voice. I looked down at my stomach and looked back at him.

I'm _pregnant._

I highly doubt he'll be jumping for joy. He's an 18 year old, why the hell would he want to be tied down like that? We haven't even said _I love you_ yet.

Kami, what do I do?

"Haruka." He was looking at me worryingly. Maybe I could just say I'm sick and tell him another day-

But my mom would never let me do that.

"Um..." I fiddled with my hair, avoiding his gaze. "I'm…uh..."

If I say it now, I'll never be able to go back. Right here and right now would basically decide my future. Kakashi could leave me and tell me that he wanted nothing to do with-

"Haruka, you're what?"

I slowly placed my hand on my abdomen and looked at him. "I'm pregnant."

Kakashi froze in his spot and whatever skin showing on his face paled _extremely_. He opened his mouth but it shut without a sound and his eyes went to where my hands were and back at my face, which he kept doing for a while.

"You're _what?_" He asked a few seconds later, his voice higher and strained than usually.

"I'm...pregnant." He pointed to himself with a shaky finger as if asking if it was his. Of course it was, that damn idiot. "Yes."

"H-How long?"

"Two months. Rin told me."

"I wasn't…expecting that."

I felt my eye twitch. "You think _I _was expecting this too? How the hell do you think I felt? I'm 18 Kakashi, _18_, do you think I'm ready to be a mom?" I pointed to myself. "Of course I'm not! If you think you got it hard, you're _so _wrong. I'm the one who has to deal with all the cravings, the morning sickness, the mood swings. Kami Kakashi-" Tears of frustration were building up in my eyes and I wiped them away angrily. "I'm fucking _pregnant_."

He suddenly walked up to me and placed his hands on my face. "We'll...figure something out together."

I sniffed. "Really?"

"Yeah. We will."

I hugged him and he was quick to wrap his own arms around me.

* * *

_**One week later…**_

* * *

I was sitting on a hospital bed, dressed in one of those gowns that they hand you when you're here. Kakashi was sitting next to me looking quite...nervous. I don't see why, he's not the one that has to do these check ups. The door to the room opened and I jumped, but when a short lady walked in I slightly calmed down. When I looked at her eyes, I could immediately tell that she was a Hyūga.

"I'm Hyūga Hikari, pleased to meet you." She greeted us with a smile. "Aotomi-san right?" I nodded my head nervously. "Well, I'm going to be your doctor for the next nine months."

"Oh...um, I'm Haruka and this is Kakashi."

"Yes, I'm well acquainted with who you two are." She said with a smile. Looking down at the clipboard in her hand, she started asking me questions which ended within a few minutes. "Okay then, well can you place lay down on the bed for me Aotomi-san?"

"Alright." I laid down on the bed and looked at Kakashi nervously. He just patted my hand until Hyūga-san walked over to the other side of the bed.

"I'm going to be looking at you with my Byakugan first and then we'll go from there." She placed her hands on my stomach and activated her kekkei genkai, the veins around her eyes were more defined and you could actually notice the pupil for once. Hyūga-san moved her hands around and after a few seconds, she deactivated her Byakugan and took a step back. "Congratulations Aotomi-san, Hatake-san." She took off her gloves and smiled at us. "You're expecting twins."

I stared blankly at her, totally not expecting _that. _"Excuse me?"

"Twins." She answered with a smile. "I need to get some things from the other room so I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes." Hyūga-san left the room and I just...looked at Kakashi.

"We're having twins." He numbly nodded his head. I threw my head back down onto the pillow and groaned.

This was going to be a _long_ nine months.

* * *

**A/N: **_I BET YOU WERE NOT EXPECTING THIS. Hehe, I totally was though, I had this planned since like five chapters ago. After getting 17 reviews from you guys, I couldn't help _**_but_**_ write this chapter. My writer's block is officially GONE for now and I just can't express how thankful I am._

_So thank you._

_And on to the big part of the _**_A/N_**_. I'm going to ask you guys, my readers, to** review/msg** me on names that you think would be a great idea for the future twins! I already have it planned that they'll be a boy and a girl so please one name each! Only Japanese names too because I don't agree with having an English name in Naruto, sorry!_

_So how did you think about Raijin being a father? I never mentioned it because quite honestly, I couldn't really figure out how to add it into the chapters because everything was just so focused on Haruka and Raijin for the past three or four chapters._

_Oh, and I wanted to mention that **In Time**__ is almost coming to an end guys! I want to have this story finished by chapter 40, but idk yet. BUT NOT TO WORRY, PART TWO WILL BE POSTED PROBABLY IMMEDIATELY xD The actual story isn't finished so no worries there!_

**_On A Marble Bench _**_by _**_Vitalum Vitalis_**_ is this chapter's recommendation. I immediately fell in love with his story because unlike most reincarnation stories, the main character is originally from the Naruto Universe. So the main character dies but gets reincarnated again just like a few decades later. (I hope you understand that explanation, if not just go read the story, you won't regret it)._

_Don't forget to leave a review with your answer! Follow/fav. if you haven't already!_

_Until next time!~_

* * *

**Guest 1: **_I hope it hit you right in the feels because that's what I was trying to do! XD For now, she's not going to be activating her powers/chakra because of obvious reasons but there's a reason to why. Stay tuned to figure it out… hehehe xD_

**Ari: **_OMG I am actually going to make ObiRin a real thing in this story so you'll totally see it in upcoming chapters! Naruto (spoiler alert) will probably be coming up next chapter so you see that xD I hope you liked this chapter because I was totally on a roll when I wrote it!_


	35. Pregnancy Months

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO AND ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS AND/OR PLOTS. I ONLY OWN HARUKA AND ANY OTHER OC IN THIS STORY.

* * *

**If there's one thing I've learned in all my years, it's this: The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. I almost wish you hated me. At least then I would have a reason to turn my back and walk away. At least then I would have a reason to stop my sad eyes from shining or my lips from curling into a smile every time you pass me by. At least then I would have a reason to let out a scream and cry and ask myself-**

**"Why?"**

_Unknown_

* * *

**Pregnancy Months**

I had just finished one of the last few missions that I could take because of my pregnancy when I sensed an agitated chakra about to run into my back. Of course, being the Jounin that I am, I moved out of the way and grabbed the back of the boy's shirt before he could actually run past me.

"What the hell are you running from?" I asked. He whirled his head around to me and I met with plain, brown eyes that were widened with panic. But underneath that, I could see the anger, the darkness that only came from losing someone close.

...Huh, that scar on his nose reminds me of someone-

"L-Let me go!"

I scoffed and started shaking him, his head bobbing back and forth from my actions. "Nah, I'd rather be told why you were about to run into my and my wolf. You smell pretty...anxious, almost as if you were worried. Right Akira?" Akira was licking her paws next to me and the only way I knew she was listening was from the slight twitch in her ears and the amusement I could smell coming off of her.

"_Iruka!_" I turned around—the boy's shirt still in my hand—and saw an angry Jounin walking towards us. Judging by the red creeping up his neck _and_ the flour that coated the man, the boy here had probably done some sort of prank.

...You know, if I remember right Iruka was similar to Naruto when it came down to pranks, right?

"Yū." I greeted the man with a smile. I've been paired with him as a partner on a few missions before, so I guess I was pretty friendly with him.

"Haruka, thank you for catching my student." Yū glared at the brown-haired kid in my hands before sighing. "You are in _so_ much trouble Iruka."

I handed the guy Iruka and smiled. "I wish you luck." I smiled sweetly at the boy and waved goodbye. "Bye!"

Akira and I walked off, leaving Iruka to the hands of his teacher. As we walked, we could hear a collection of _baka _and _shut up_ coming from the duo. Ah, seeing that makes me remember Minato-sensei and when I was still young.

"Haruka-sama, how are you feeling?"

I placed my hand on her head and ruffled her fur. "I feel fine. I didn't do anything straining today and I managed to barely use my chakra, just like Hyūga-san said."

"If you say so."

I stretched my hands above my head and stretched my sore back. "Now, off to buy some things for dinner."

"You are attempting to cook?" I looked down at her and smiled.

"Well, I _am_ going to be a mom. Aren't they supposed to be good cooks?"

* * *

"Tadaima!" I shouted out in the newly remodeled house. I saw Kakashi's sandals by the door and another pair that belonged to my mother. She must have been visiting today.

"Haruka, where were you?" She suddenly asked, rushing into the room in a speed that moms had when they were worried. "You were supposed to be back earlier!"

I held up the plastic bags. "I bought stuff for dinner."

Kakashi's head popped out from the corner, his eyebrow raised. "You're cooking?"

"Yeah."

He paled. "...Are you sure you should be cooking? Maybe we should get Akiye-san to-"

I pointed my finger at him. "I'm cooking. You can either eat what I make or _starve_, and I'm judging that after a whole day of running and fighting, not eating is going to be a little hard." Kakashi grumbled off, leaving me feeling like I won something and my mom laughing. I turned to her. "Well, I'm going to go make dinner. I guess you can just go do what you were doing earlier-"

She kissed my on my forehead and started putting on her shoes. "I'm going home, I have a mission to do tomorrow."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah." She opened the door and smiled before closing it. I stood there, watching the door for a few more seconds before walking into the kitchen to start cooking.

It took about an hour and a half, but I finally finished.

"Ta-da!" I presented Kakashi dinner. "I made salmon, rice, and miso soup." I sat down and Kakashi did too, but he stared at the meal as if it was going to grow wings and fly. "Oh just eat it already. I had Akira taste test it earlier and she said it tasted _fine_."

"Well, if you say so." He pulled down his mask. "...Itadakimasu." I waited until he took a bite, and _Kami_ I was so happy when I saw his face. His eyes widened before he looked at me, shock on his face.

"This isn't...bad, like at all."

"See?" I felt the corners of my mouth move into a smile. "Itadakimasu." We both finished our meal within the hour and Kakashi had volunteered to wash the dishes because I had to _puke_. And an hour later after a nice, hot bath, I found myself in front of the mirror that was in the room I shared with Kakashi.

After we found out we were having twins, Kakashi was quick to ask me to move in with him. I said yes, but there was just a _slight_ problem. He lived in the Shinobi Apartments. But after I pointed this out, he had surprised me not even a week later that he hired a group of Chunin with a C-rank to clean and remodel his old house, the one he used to live in with Sakumo. The only reason he didn't hire a group of Genin _and _make the mission a D-rank was because he didn't want one of the Genin's to get stabbed because of a trap his father had placed.

And that's where I was today. Officially moved in with Hatake Kakashi while being ten weeks pregnant.

I took off my sweater and looked at myself in the mirror. It wasn't really that obvious that I was pregnant with the nonexistent bump around my abdomen. The only thing that made me fully realize that I was—besides the _obvious_—was that I was gaining a little more weight and that I needed new bras.

"Haruka?" Kakashi called out before opening the door. I didn't bother turning around, I just placed my hands on my stomach. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head and watched from the mirror as he walked over to where I was. "Nothing. It's just...weird. I'm going to be a mom in a few months. _Me,_ out of all people."

"Hey, I'm going to be a dad."

"Still..."

Kakashi placed his hand on my shoulder and looked at me from the mirror. Our eyes met and he smiled. "You're worried, aren't you?"

I whirled around. "Of course I am! You're an S-rank shinobi all across the Shinobi Nation! Of course I'm worried, these kids we're going to have are targets the moment anybody find out!" _Fucking_ pregnancy hormones, I'm starting to feel the telltale burn of tears from my eyes. Deep breaths Haruka, deep breaths. "I'm not just scared for myself, I'm scared for _them_."

"And I'll protect them with my life. You don't have to worry, okay? And even if enemy-nins find out, this house is surrounded by seals that'll keep them out."

I sniffled and wiped my nose. "Yeah, sorry. Kinda let my emotions get the best of me."

He just smiled. "As long as you feel better. I can tell that you've been worried about this for the past week."

I just nodded my head and turned back to the mirror. "What about names? I've been thinking about them a lot."

"Names?"

I nodded my head. "I liked Noka or Tsuki for girls and Kaede or Aki for boys."

"I like those names. They're nice." I just smiled at Kakashi.

* * *

_**The next day…**_

* * *

"Hey Haruka?"

I turned to Rin. "Yeah?"

"When did you realize that you liked Kakashi-kun?"

"Oh." I was shocked from being asked this. Rin, out of all people, is asking _me_ about emotions.

...Oh Kami, if I think about it when _did_ I find out I liked him?

"I'm sorry if the question was too personal-"

I waved my hands and smiled. "Of course not. I was just think about when I found out." I tapped my finger against my lip. "I'd say when he kissed me. In the rain. While we were arguing. That's when I _actually_ realized I had feelings for him."

"...Oh."

"That doesn't really help, does it?" She shook her head and I just sighed. "Who's the lucky guy then? Is he hot? Is he nice? Wait, is he like Obito and Kakashi with time because I swear those two are getting worse at it, especially that idiot Scarecrow. Like I probably need to seal something about time on that baka because he doesn't seem to grasp that being one hour late is not just _a few minutes late_." I grabbed her hands and held on to them. I need to tell her, I need to make sure she doesn't fall for a guy that likes..._those books_. "Wait, before you even actually fall for the guy, make sure he doesn't read those damn Icha Icha books that Kakashi seems to like. Those smut books are going to be the end of me, I swear-"

"Um…" She started turning red and I could _smell_ the embarrassment and uneasiness coming from her.

"So who is it?" Rin pulled her hands away from mine and hid her face.

"It's-" Her voice was muffled by her hands and I couldn't hear her.

"I can't hear you!" I tried pulling her hands away but she fought against me and kept her hands where they were.

"It's…um..." Her fingers moved to where I could see her eyes. "It's Obito." She squeaked out.

My mouth fell open and I just stared at her. "..._What._"

"_WHAT?!" _Our heads whirled around and guess who just happened to_ fall out of a tree at that moment._

"What the hell?" I demanded at the moaning person crumpled up on the ground.

"Oh Kami..." Poor poor Rin hid behind me, now too scared to face that person or anything to be honest.

Obito quickly stood up and brushed off the dirt and leaves that were sticking to him. "Hatake asked me to...um...watch you so don't kill me." I narrowed my eyes. "I swear!" He held up his hands in surrender.

That damn idiot, Kakashi knows I don't like people keeping tabs on me!

"Can I leave?" Rin asked from behind me.

"Wait, Rin! Is what you said really true?" Obito ran up to both of us in a speed that would have made Minato-sensei proud but because of the sudden closeness, Rin made another sound that sounded similar to a mouse squeaking. Since she was only slightly shorter than I was, that meant she could _technically_ hide behind me but on the other hand, Obito was taller than Kakashi so that meant he towered over me easily. Grabbing my shoulders, he stared at me "Did she really say that?"

"Uh-" Of course, he then interrupts me by shaking my shoulders. "Yo, watch it! Pregnant lady here!"

"Sorry." He removed his hands from my shoulders but I took a step to the right and left Rin to stand in front of Obito by herself.

"_Haruka_-"

I waved my hands and started walking away. "I had to deal with my feelings alone, so you're gonna have to too." I smiled at the two. Obito was red as a tomato and so was Rin, both were unsure of what to do and it just made me want to laugh as hard as I could. "Bye! Good luck you two lovebirds!"

"Wait!" I walked off and ignored their calls. I can't _wait_ to see what happened, I'm gonna have to ask one of them tomorrow!

After walking for a few minutes, I saw a familiar face staring at a building in the Akimichi district. "Tenzō-kun!" He turned to me and waved.

"Haruka-san, hello!"

I walked up to him and smiled. "What are you looking at?"

He started rubbing his head sheepishly. "I was just looking at what they were serving for food here."

I looked up and saw that we were standing in front of a restaurant. "Alone?"

He just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have that many friends and Kakashi-senpai is off on a mission." Hm… I have a great idea now then! My stomach just growled and I'm hungry, he's looking at a restaurant so that means _he's _hungry too.

Looping my arm through his, gave him one of the nicest smiles I could muster. "I'll eat lunch with you!" His eyes widened but before he could say anything, I pulled him into the restaurant.

* * *

_**15 weeks pregnant**_

_January_

* * *

"_M-Mama?"_ _Turning around to the voice, I saw a man standing behind a girl that looked identical to Kakashi with her grey, gravity defying hair and her dark grey eyes. Another body laid on the ground behind them, blood pooling on the floor._

_My eyes widened and my hand shot out as I started to run to her. "No, let her go!"_

_The unfamiliar face looked at me and I saw blood lust and glee in its eyes. "No." It brought the kunai down on her, on my daughter, and all I could do was scream as I saw blood-_

* * *

My eyes shot open and I barely had a second to realize that I had to avoid the kunai that was aimed for my head. Moving my head to the left, the kunai was stabbed into the pillow not even a centimeter away from my ear. The person controlling the weapon pulled it out and tried to stab me again. "KAKASHI!" I shouted out as I grabbed the enemy-nin's hand to prevent them from bringing the kunai back down.

Fuck, this was what I was afraid of happening! I couldn't use my chakra because of my pregnancy and I had to rely on Kakashi if something like this were to happen.

Then suddenly, the room lit up and there was a sound of lightning crackling. Looking up, I saw the wide eyes of the enemy and all I did was look at him before Kakashi shocked the man to unconsciousness.

"Are you okay?" I sat up on the bed and looked at him. He was standing in front of the bed and looking at me.

I nodded my head. "Yeah." The enemy was twitching on the ground and I sighed. "How did he get passed the traps and seals?"

"I don't know." He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "I'll alert ANBU. This is probably going to take a while." He flared his chakra while he started putting on more appropriate clothes. I got up, put on some sweats and a large t-shirt that was probably Kakashi's, and went down downstairs to get some tea because I needed some at the moment.

I looked at the clock while pouring the hot water into the mug and realized that it was still three in the morning, a perfect time for someone wanting to attack. Looking down at my stomach, I just sighed and placed my hand on it. That dream I had, there's a possibility of that actually happening. It never fully hit me that these kids _were_ targets, no matter how many times I said it out loud.

"Haruka, I'll be back. I summoned Pakkun and Bull so if anything happens, they'll be here." Kakashi said from the doorway.

"Alright." I sat down on the couch in the living room and Pakkun and Bull walked into the living room, Kakashi following them. He placed his hand on my shoulder and kissed me on my forehead, but before I could say anything he shunshined off.

Pakkun jumped up on my lap, making me look at him. "Everything will be fine Haruka-chan. If you're still worried, why don't you summon your wolves? We'll all get along." Now that he mentioned it, summoning Akira and Kaminari would make me feel a whole lot better.

"I will." I smiled. Biting my thumb, I let a drop of blood pool on it before summoning them. And not even a second later Akira and Kaminari were standing next to the couch.

"Haruka-sama, you summoned?" I explained what had happened and at the end of me recalling it, the only thing she did was sigh. "We'll stay from now on. Right Kaminari?"

"Sure!" The energetic pup just jumped up onto the couch and placed his head on my lap, right next to Pakkun. "You'll be fine, we're all here to protect you!"

Bull just licked my hand and Akira stood watch by the entrance to the room. "Thank you all so much."

"You can touch my paws. They're really soft." Pakkun suddenly said, raising his paw. "It used to make you feel better." I started to feel tears filling up in my eyes and there was barely another second before I was crying.

It was everything, it finally hit me. The pregnancy, being pregnant, today's attack—_everything_.

"I'm not ready, oh Kami I'm not ready at all." I cried. But I suddenly felt someone licking my hands that was on my face.

When I moved my hands, I saw Kaminari looking at me. "Onee-san, it's fine."

"N-No, it's not." And I started sobbing even harder. But the canines that were with me all started to comfort me, even Akira.

So I hugged Bull and Kaminari to my chest and cried as much as I could, while being surrounded by familiar scents.

* * *

_**20 weeks pregnant**_

_February_

* * *

"Congratulations Aotomi-san! You're having a boy and a girl!"

I sat up and looked at my doctor. "Really?"

"Yes." Hyūga-san smiled at me. "It was too bad that Hatake-san couldn't make it."

"Well, he is on a mission after all."

"That is true. So, about your next appointment."

We scheduled the next appointment and an hour later, I somehow found myself sitting at a bench on the park with Akira and Kaminari, just listening to the birds chirping and the childish screams coming from the playground in front of me.

"Onee-san, how are you feeling?"

I ruffled Kaminari's fur on his head and smiled at him. "I'm fine. I just feel like a little resting at a park will be good." He just wagged his tail and sat down in front of me. I sat there and enjoyed the sun on my face, forgetting about the world around me until suddenly I heard Akira growling at someone.

"I-I'm sorry!" I looked down at the boy who just apologized and immediately I felt all the air in my chest just leave my body.

It was Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto.

The boy standing in front of me had wide blue eyes and spiky blonde hair like his father while he looked like his mother, just like Kushina-neesan. But he was too skinny, too skinny for a three and a half year old boy. Wiping all negative emotion from my face, I looked at Akira and shook my head before turning to him.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

He looked up at me. "I wanted to...um..." He was fumbling with his words, but I noticed that he never looked at me in the eyes. He was always keeping them a little down, purposely avoiding them. "Pet your doggy?"

"They're not dogs, they're wolves." I gently corrected.

He started messing with his shirt. _Kami_, what are they giving this poor boy? That shirt he's wearing is full of holes and his pants are about ready to fall apart! "...C-Can I still pet them?"

"Why don't you tell me your name?"

His eyes finally met with mine and I saw a type of sadness that just broke my heart. He looked at me with so much hope and underneath that, loneliness. And it made me feel even worse because I knew I could've stopped this, I could've protected him from the hatred, but I didn't. And this made me just as bad as the ones who probably torment him.

"I-I'm Naruto."

"Well Naruto, why don't you ask them yourself if you can pet them?" I'll try to make up for it, for what I've done. I just hope that the little things like this are enough to actually start.

"T-They can talk?"

"Yes we can, little boy." Akira answered, standing up.

Naruto took a step back, almost as if he was afraid. "O-Oh."

"It is fine, you can pet us." Akira did a rare tail wag before walking over to where he was. She sniffed his clothes and hand before she motioned for Kaminari.

"Hi." Kaminari said, his tail wagging. That pup was just as friendly as any puppy I've ever seen and it made me want to laugh. He licked Naruto on the face, which incited a giggle from the little boy. He looked so happy and started petting Kaminari and soon, they were chasing each other.

"Haruka-sama, do you happen to know the boy?" Akira asked as we watched them play together.

That's right, she's never met Sensei and his wife and I actually never told her of what happened. She only knows about the Kyūbi attack. "We're not supposed to talk about it, Sandaime even made it against the law..." I looked down and felt a wave of sadness hit me. No matter how much time passed it still hurt, loosing the man and woman that I looked up to as parent figures. "You smelled something on him, didn't you? Something...bad." Akira nodded her head and I continued, but with my voice lowered. "He's the Kyūbi Jinchūriki."

"...Oh."

"Yeah. He's also Minato-sensei's son. But… You know what happened to the Yondaime and his wife."

"I see. That is why I smelled a sudden swell of guilt and sadness coming from you when he came up to us." I nodded my head. "Well, if you are fine with him, then I am fine too."

"I can't believe it, she's letting the monster come near her pets." I heard someone whisper and judging by the twitch in Akira's ear she heard it too.

"I_ know. _I don't even understand why Sandaime doesn't just kill it, the Kyūbi-"

I shot up from the bench and turned around, glaring at the two mothers standing behind me. "If I remember correctly, Sandaime made it against the law to talk about that. I suggest you shut your mouth and walk away if you don't want me to report you breaking_ it_."

"E-Excuse me?" One of the mothers—an Uchiha, judging by her hair and skin—said.

"You heard me." I placed a hand on my hip. "He's just a little _boy. _What the hell is wrong with you, talking about killing him? He's three years old, _three_."

"Whatever." She gave me a disbelieving look before walking away to the other end of the park with her friend, probably to pick up her kid.

"I absolutely _hate_ people like that." I muttered as I sat down. But my mood was lifted when Naruto and Kaminari ran up to us.

"I need to go, but thank you for letting me play with your wolf! It was fun!" Naruto shouted out. He looked so_ happy_, it in turn made me happy.

"You're welcome." I said. "Goodbye Naruto-" But he had already ran off, leaving me alone with Akira and Kaminari.

"He smelled of joy and...hope Haruka-sama, different from earlier."

I smiled. "Then that makes me full of joy too."

Minato-sensei, Kushina-neesan, I hope you've slightly forgiven me today. I know it was something little and probably pathetic but still, if Naruto was happy… I hope you two are too.

* * *

_**One hour later…**_

* * *

I placed a purple Aster flower on the ground and gave it a sad smile. "Hey Raijin. I brought your favorite flower." I kneeled down on the ground and placed my hand over the grass that was starting to grow back. "I'm have a boy and a girl. Isn't that just exciting? It's still weird though, knowing that I'm going to be a mom." I scoffed. "You'd probably be scared more for them than me. You'd probably be like _'Hey Pup, don't forget that your kids are next to me'_."

Then I just sat there for about another ten minutes, just soaking in the sun and just thinking about everything. "I miss you Raijin..." Opening my eyes, I couldn't help but sigh. "But I'm getting better, and so is Akira. We're all watching over Kaminari, that pup of yours is just like you it's scary." Standing up was a bit of a struggle, but I somehow managed. Looking down, I smiled.

I still love you Raijin, I hope you can hear that. I couldn't protect you, but by protecting Akira and Kaminari, and in a few months my children, I hope it will make it up.

And I walked away, back towards the ones that he left behind.

* * *

_**25 weeks pregnant**_

_March_

* * *

I was yawning and it caught the attention of Rin. "Everything okay? Is the baby shower boring-"

"No no, I'm just really tired. I haven't been able to sleep and it's starting to get to me."

"Hey Haruka, sorry I'm late." Obito suddenly appeared, along with...Shisui?

"Hi Haruka-neesan!" Shisui ran up to me and gave me a hug before pulling away. "How have you been? I haven't seen you in a long time and then Obito suddenly came up to me and asked if I wanted to come to your baby shower."

I just awkwardly laughed. "Um...hi Shisui." I shot Obito a glare, but he hid behind Rin and stuck his tongue out at me. "You were so...little last time I saw you. That must have been..what, a year ago?"

"Almost two!"

"Well, I think there's cake over there that you can help yourself too."

He shoved a box at me before running off. "Thanks!"

I handed it to Rin before yawning again. "Ugh, I feel like shit."

"If you want, we can give you some all natural pills to help you sleep. They're totally safe for the babies."

"Hell yes." There was a sudden sound of someone appearing behind me and I didn't even bother turning around, I already knew who it was. "Hey mom."

"Sorry I'm late Haruka."

I just waved it off and smiled when she hugged me. "It's fine. You had a mission, right?"

"Yeah."

Yawning, I stood up and motioned for Rin and Obito to follow me. "I'm hungry, let's get some food!"

* * *

_**30 weeks pregnant**_

_April_

* * *

I was walking with my usual wolves when Akira suddenly growled. "Haruka-sama, something smells off here. It smells of...blood."

"Doesn't it always? A shinobi probably walked by hurt."

"No, it smells as if it belongs to a child." Warning bells started ringing when she said that. I hurried my pace and stopped at an alley way.

"Akira, we're going. I have a feeling that I know who it is." Walking into the dark path, I could make out a small figure lying on the ground. "Naruto?" I called out for him in a careful voice. But he didn't respond and I realized why. His too skinny body was covered in scratches and bruises, ones that must have been inflicted on him by adults. "Naruto." I tried calling out again, but he only moaned in pain.

"Haruka-sama, would you like me to carry him?" Akira asked from behind me.

I turned to her. "Would you please? I can't pick him up and Kaminari is still too small." She just nodded her head and went to where Naruto was laying.

"Pup, help me put Naruto on my back." It took a while and I tried helping, and finally Naruto was on Akira's back.

"We're going to Rin's house, and then to the Hokage."

"Why aren't we going to the hospital onee-san?" Kaminari asked. I continued ignoring the glares and looks that I was getting from the random people around me while walking to where Rin was at.

"Because, I can't trust the hospital with this boy." Turning the last corner, I reached the Shinobi Apartments and luckily, she lived nearby. "Kaminari, I want you to go get Rin for me. You remember where she lives right?"

"Yeah!" He ran past me and up the stairs. Looking at Naruto, I could only feel anger rush through me towards whoever did this. He's _three_, a fucking _three year old._ I understand that the person lost someone during the Kyūbi attack but Naruto's not the Kyūbi! He's just a...boy!

"Haruka?" Looking back at the stairs, I saw Rin walking down the stairs with Kaminari behind her. But I didn't have to say anything because she looked at Naruto and paled. "Is that…?" I nodded my head.

"It's Naruto and he's hurt."

Rin took Minato-sensei's death hard, I think even harder than me. She wanted nothing to do with Naruto for the first few months and when she finally did see him, she could barely look at him for a few seconds before leaving the room. But now that he was older…

"Okay, let me see him." She walked over to us and started looking over Naruto. "Well, he has no broken bones- Wait, never mind. One of his ribs is broken… Other than that everything else are bruises and cuts that'll heal on their own."

"He'll be fine?" I asked as she started healing his broken rib.

Rin nodded her head. "Yeah… But there's something bothering me. He's too skinny for his age."

"I think so too, Rin-san. I believe that whoever is taking care of him is not doing their job." Akira said.

"I'm going to have to report this to the Hokage." Rin pulled her hands away and when I looked at Naruto, he didn't look as if he was in pain anymore. "I'll bring Naruto along with me."

"That's a good idea." She picked Naruto up and winced when she noticed how light he was.

"Well, thanks for bringing him to me." Rin said her goodbye and left, leaving me with Akira and Kaminari.

* * *

_**Later that night…**_

* * *

"Hey Haruka?" I looked up from my book.

"Yeah?"

"...Do you think an 11 year old should be in ANBU?" Kakashi asked me. I could tell that something was troubling him, so I'm guessing it's this.

Putting down my book, I shifted around on the couch to get more comfortable. "Well, it depends. In all honesty? No, I don't think so. But if you look at it from a shinobi's perspective, then there's really nothing _to_ say." I scoffed. "Look at us, Chunin at the age of six and you were a Jounin at 12."

"It was during war."

I shrugged. "We're always at war Kakashi, whether we like it or not. So, who's the kid?" I asked, but I already had a guess of who it was.

"Fugaku's kid."

I sighed. "So the Hokage decided to place Uchiha Itachi with you guys. A genius teaching another."

"...Yeah."

"Well, there's nothing you can do about it." For a reason Kakashi wouldn't know, my voice saddened because truthfully, in a few years—and if the Hokage decided to not do anything—Itachi will end up as the clan murderer. I wanted to change things...I really did, but I'm not an Uchiha and there's actually very little I could actually _do_.

I guess only time will tell.

* * *

_**A/N: **Hey guys, here's the next chapter! I hope you guys liked it because I had to spend at least a week just researching pregnancy and everything that happens in it. Luckily, I found a blog of a person that had twins and was super athletic so I basically based Haruka's pregnancy on hers in a way. Ugh, as much as I somehow liked writing this chapter it was **HARD**. Like goddamn, I was about ready to pull my hair out. So that might be the slight reason why its a crappy chapter but...oh well. Lol Obito and Rin...hehe. I hope you guys who ship ObiRin are happy because they totally happened in this story!_

_UGH, so **MAJOR **question. Do you guys want me to write out Haruka giving birth or do you guys want me to skip over it? Totally up to you guys, it may be a stupid question but I felt like asking it because idk, I do. Also, I think I've decided on the girl's name but I still don't know yet with the boy one so please, more recommendations!_

_I'm planning a pretty large timeskip after Haruka gives birth because I seriously need to start getting into Naruto Canon, so I have a plan to end In Time in about two or three more chapters, but not to worry because Part Two will be coming up! I **have **decided on the name and all the info will be down right here. PLEASE REVIEW ON WHAT YOU THINK PLEASE!_

_Title:_**_Out of Time_**

_Summary: __**She dreams of a future that she vows to change. Already failing once, she will not fail again for this time, she has more than the lives of her loved ones at stake. Sequel to In Time. Slight AU, SI-OC**_

_I hope you guys plan on reading the continuation because I plan on making it longer and better than this one xD_

_So I recommend __**A Fool's Journey **__by __**RubyNightsGavlyn**__. It's a pretty interesting point of view so I totally think you guys should go read it!_

_Other than that, please leave a __**review **__and a follow/fav. if you haven't already!_

_Until next time!~ _


	36. Childbirth

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS AND PLOTS. I ONLY OWN HARUKA AND ANY OTHER OC.

* * *

_Unofficial Beta: __ShootingLightStar_

* * *

**Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in you way of thinking.**

Marcus Aurelius, _Meditations_

* * *

**Childbirth**

"Deep breaths Haruka."

"What the _hell_ do you think I'm doing Kakashi?" I hissed out. I still did what he said though, I took a deep breath and exhaled. Contractions had started sporadically two hours ago, but the pain in my abdomen was only getting worse by the minute. I did have to endure two false alarms the past few weeks, but already this episode was proving itself to be well near the real deal of labor; these babies were going to be the absolute _death_ of me.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help." Kakashi grabbed my hand and started to grip it. "If it'll help, I'll hold your hand again."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I didn't want a repeat of the last hour—I nearly broke a bone in his hand and Rin had to heal a fracture that I did manage to make.

"This time I'll reinforce my hand." He reassured.

I was about to say something along the lines of _'fine, it's your hand,_' but the sudden pain that came over me again caused me to instinctively clench my hand, Kakashi's own one in it. At this point, I was pretty sure my face was permanently wrinkled from all the scrunching it was doing, my hair a rat's nest, and my general appearance just a _fucking mess_, but in all honesty who _cares_ when you're in labor? "Kakashi..." I managed, voice satisfying low and threatening, even if from lack of air, "I don't think I can stand the pain for another hour. As much as Hyūga-san said going through the first few hours of labor at home is comfortable-" Whoa, need to take a break right there. Deep breaths Haruka, _deep_ breaths. "-it is totally _not_."

"Alright, let me get the bags." He said, and then ran a hand through his hair, as if he was trying to figure out if he was supposed to do something else. "Just...breath."

I glared at him. Was he serious? What the hell does he think I've been doing for the past two hours? Kakashi seemed to get the message because he quickly left the living room, leaving me alone with my wolves. Rin had to leave about half an hour ago because of some emergency at the hospital, which made me kind of sad.

Not that it actually mattered at the moment. The feeling quickly disappeared in lieu of letting the more dominant distraction be in the forefront of my mind: namely, _the pain_. Imagine a menstrual cramp, being stabbed continuously, and a charlie horse all in one shoved into your uterus and lower back—or if you're a guy, then only the later of the two. Then intensify that pain by a thousand. And that was only one contraction. The further into the stages of birth-giving you progress, the higher the dosage and frequency of pain. That translates into: _all the metaphors above, multiplied by itself the closer to birth. That_, is what labor feels like.

"Haruka-sama, would you like us to help with your breathing again? You seemed to have stopped; does it not help?"

I looked at Akira and at that same time, the pain went away. Thinking optimistically, it wouldn't come back for the next ten minutes, so I rejoiced at that fact. "The pain is gone, but not for long. Can you check to see what's taking Kakashi so long?" She nodded her head at my request, but as she turned, Kakashi ran into the room, carrying a backpack that contained all of the stuff we needed to take to the hospital.

"I got it! Lets go."

"Well, it seems that you're fully dilated Aotomi-san!" A nurse checked me for what felt like the hundredth time over the course of three hours. "I'll be right back with the others. Get ready, because you'll be meeting your children in about an hour!" This was said irritatingly cheerfully, like there wasn't a pregnant lady in the room about ready to rip her boyfriend's genitals off for making her go through this pain—that was me if you didn't realize.

"What's 'dilated' mean?" I heard Obito asking Mom.

Mom gave an amused look over at me before answering. "It means that she's ready to give birth."

"That's right Obito." I groaned out. "I'm about to pop some babies out."

"Haruka..." Kakashi, being the nice boyfriend that he is, started to rub my back after I rolled over to my side. I still wanted to rip his genitals off, but as a thought occurred to me, I realized I had bigger things to worry about.

"Oh Kami..."

Mom was instantly at my side, Obito trailing behind her. "What's wrong?"

I swallowed hard. "I'm going to be an actual mom to two kids in less than an hour."

You would think that my mind had already accepted that as the reality, but apparently it needed me to be in the moment before the big happening to finally register. My mind was a mantra of _shit, this is actually happening, and in literally an hour I'm going to be a fucking mom, shit, shit, shit—_

She placed her hand on my cheek and started to rub her thumbs across my cheekbones, probably to sooth my mind. "You'll be a great mother, so don't worry, Haruka. And you have Kakashi with you too, so take comfort in that."

"Yeah Haruka! You'll do great! Just try not to...curse too much." My dearest Uchiha teammate gave me a thumbs up.

"Oh my god." I started smiling and the next thing I knew, I was laughing. Can you believe it? I was about to cry and now I'm laughing—_kami_ I'm ready to be rid of the pregnancy hormones. They've only caused problems in these past nine months. We all stayed like that for a few seconds when Rin suddenly came barging into the room, panic written all across her face.

"I'm not too late right?"

"No!" I held out my hand for her to grab onto. "Thanks Rin; it makes me happy to know that you'll be here." I said with a smile.

"Of course." she said with conviction. "You're my best friend and my teammate. There's nothing that would have stopped me from coming to support you." As much as I wanted to say more, the door to the room opened again and a stream of nurses came in.

"Alright, only the father can be in the room during birth! Everybody else, _out!_" A nurse snapped, barely giving my family any time to wish me luck; Mom and Rin gave me a kiss on my forehead, while Obito, being the awkward person that he is, just patted me on the shoulder before leaving the room. Hyūga-san walked in and started explaining things, but I was only listening halfheartedly. I just wanted this to be over with, I was so done being pregnant. I just wanted my babies and go home.

After moving around, cringing in pain, and looking around worryingly, it seemed that everything was what it was supposed to be. "Alright Aotomi-san. You probably have that feeling to push." Hyūga-san said while preparing something in between my legs—and let me tell you, it's _so_ weird.

"Yes, so can I?" I asked, my voice shaky and probably revealing how I just wanted to _already be done_. Kakashi had pulled on some sort of hospital gown thing over his normal clothes, and he walked over to the side of the bed to grab my hand, giving me comfort in this mess.

"Alright Aotomi-san," Hyūga-san signaled. "push!"

The next thirty minutes were spent—guess what—pushing the kids out into the world. Those exact thirty minutes were also riddled with pain, exhaustion, grunts and groans, the occasional scream, repetitive urgings to continue pushing, along with assurances that everything was going swimmingly, and the comforting presence of Kakashi by my side.

Not that Kakashi's presence could stop me from cursing the whole painful process to hell the whole thirty minutes. But that was besides the point. The point was the result.

I could barely hear the sounds of the babies crying because my mind and body was still kind of...dazed from all the pain and pushing I had to do. "Haruka-san, your children." I looked up tiredly and barely had enough time to position my arms before the nurse placed two babies in my possession.

So, first things first. I call bullshit on the mothers who say that babies are the most beautiful things in the world when they're born because I assure you, they're not—appearance wise that is. However, it just might be the wonder that you did technically _create_ these children inside of you speaking, but other then that? Yeah, they're ugly; thoroughly red, squinting eyes and just a hint of hair on their heads. But I know that it just takes a few months for them to get into that cute baby stage that makes you want to go '_aww_' every time you see one.

"Haruka..." I looked up at Kakashi and I saw a type of emotion I'd never seen in him before, and I've seen what I believe to be almost all of them. But I knew what he was thinking, because in the end I was thinking the same thing.

"They're ours." I said, looking down at them. You wouldn't be able to tell which gender was which without the color-coded hats and swaddling blankets, especially with both of them mewling and wriggling. I smiled at the baby with the pink hat. "Noka. Hatake Noka is her name." I announced her name as I looked back up at Kakashi.

He nodded his head in agreement before placing a hand tenderly on the head of the baby with the blue hat. "And Hiroki." Before I knew it, tears were building up because I could think of those who would've wanted to be here; who should've been there. "Sensei would've been proud." Kakashi whispered, squeezing my shoulder. He already knew what I was thinking, and never have been more grateful for his empathy. "Both Kushina-san and Minato-sensei would've loved to see them."

"A-And Raijin too. Can't forget about h-him." The tears were falling hard now, the back of my eyes burning, but I didn't care because we were right. I sent my thoughts and prayers to the heavens: I hope you _are_ proud Raijin...Sensei...Kushina-neesan… Because this may be the happiest day in my life.

My week in the hospital was intense, in all honesty. After recovering from the twins' birth, the nurses and caretakers were teaching both Kakashi and I how to care for babies. It went from how to feed them—my job—how to change diapers—mostly his job—and how carry them. All of our friends came to see them the day after, and that pretty much filled the room because there was the usual gang, which consisted of Kurenai, Gai, Rin, Obito, and Asuma. Then there were the ANBU that Kakashi was 'friends' with. I say that with quotations because I still find it hard to believe that this socially awkward man who reads porn in public manages to find anybody that respects him. Tenzō had been the first from that group to come visit us, which made my day, surprisingly.

But the week flew by quickly and the next thing I knew, Kakashi and I were holding Noka and Hiroki in our living room. They were both sleeping at the moment, but after sleeping next to them for the last two days, I realized that my sleeping schedule was going to be _shot_. And collectively shredded.

"Well, let's put them into the cribs for now since they're sleeping." He nodded his head and we both walked up to the rooms we decided would be theirs. I was carrying Noka while Kakashi carried Hiroki.

"Of course your genes _had _to win Kakashi." I teased. Both of the babies could be seen possessing silver white hair, for starters. I couldn't tell if I was excited or scared to find out if they happened to inherit more from their father.

He just shrugged. "What can I say? The Hatake genes are strong. According to pictures, my mom had black hair."

"...No way."

"Yup. But look at me—"

I smirked. "You look like an old man, Scarecrow." I said, Kakashi's nickname slipping out.

"_Oh._" The look he gave me, with his slightly darkened eyes, unsettled me slightly and the way he said it didn't help. "But who's the one that had kids with this old man?"

"...Who's the one who forgot the condom?" I deadpanned. He stopped in his tracks while I continued walking with my hips swinging, feeling somewhat smug at winning whatever that had happened. Placing my hand on the handle to the door, I opened it and smiled. This was Tenzō's present to us. He created the cribs, chairs, and cute little decorations from his Mokuton. Opening the door to it, I walked in with Kakashi following close behind me. The white crib was Noka's while the grey one was for Hiroki. I first thought the colors were dull, but after both Kakashi and Tenzō painted the room to a color similar to the sky during a sunny day—both in color and design—I just...fell in love with it. There were white clouds painted in various areas around the room while the remaining space on the wall was blue like the sky. It made me so happy to the point where words couldn't explain how much.

Looking down at Noka, there was a warmth that spread from my chest and all across my body. She was _mine_; I had created her, I was her _mother_, and I was going to be a role-model for her—for _them_. I turned around and looked at Hiroki. I may have only known them for only about nine months—and one week physically—but I already love them. I know that I'd protect them and lay down my life if it came down to it. I just...hope that I can live up to that title of being a mother.

* * *

**A/N:**_ Hey guys. I'm so sorry that this chapter came out so late, but I have a good reason to why. My computer stopped working and it won't turn on now, so I've had to go a week without one, hence the reason why this chapter is so late. I'm currently using my mom's computer because I still haven't gotten a new one and probably won't until earliest, next week. Also, this chapter is so well written because like my friend (the unofficial beta) is such an amazing writer and she fixed a lot of mistakes and added all these complicated words that I never use in my stories. She's been such a great help because school started last Monday and I've been so busy since._

_So...I have some bad news. This decision isn't set in stone yet, but I'm pretty sure that I won't be writing a part two to In Time. I feel so bad and guilty because I did all this talk about writing a sequel, but I have my reasons to why I changed my mind. This story...isn't as fun as I remember, if that makes any sense. I've lost all motivation to actually write about a part two because I've just gotten so bored with In Time. I feel like all the official characters are too OOC, especially Kakashi. And it's not just, I know this is super selfish of me but I barely get any motivation for it anymore because like I stated in a few chapters back, I get my muse and motivation from reviews, which I barely get. I feel so bad, I didn't want to do this and I even tried talking to my friend (the one from earlier) about what I should do. But even then, my decision didn't want to budge. So, the most likely outcome is that In Time will end as In Time. Don't worry though, I still plan on finishing this story. I need to, it's something that _**_I _**_have __to do. I am sorry though._

_I've been wanting to write another story and it's a OCxKakashi but this time, I won't have her do **anything** with the earlier canon. Minato and Obito and Rin all happen as it should. She'll meet Kakashi during Shippuden and then the story goes on from there. She's not a Self-Insert OC, she's just a plan character from the Naruto Universe. After I finish this story and my other, **Looking into His Eyes**, I want to start on writing that one. I have a general idea of what I want to happen for it, but for now it's just going to be these two stories._

_I do have a plan on a epilogue, but it's only going to be either one chapter or two and it'll be uploaded on **Looking into His Eyes**. The main OC in that story will meet Haruka during the Fourth Shinobi War and yeah._

_So, I hope to have reviews on this chapter but other than that, have a good day/week! I can't promise when the next chapter will be uploaded, but it won't be too long, I swear. _

_So until then!~_


	37. Finale

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN HARUKA AND ANY OTHER OC.

* * *

**We cannot simply sit and stare at our wounds forever. We must stand up and move on to the next action.**

Haruki Murakami, _1Q84_

* * *

**Finale**

If you had asked me when I was 12 what I'd be doing 30 years from now, I would have told you that I was dead, rotting in hell for all the lives I've took for being a shinobi. Either that, or I would've just laughed in your face and called you stupid. Never in my wildest dreams would I have said that I'd be a mother to two and a wife to the sixth Hokage, living peacefully in a world with no war. Never would I have thought that I'd be in love with my best friend and teaching children. But fate works in mysterious ways, I guess.

So here I am, 42 years old and still alive—surprisingly too, looking at my track record of getting hurt and actually _dying_ once. And I'm not talking about my past life, I'm talking about actually dying in the village and then coming back to life, but it was all to protect my loved ones, my two pups. I know that this will sound very cliché and typical, but it's true—becoming a mom had changed me.

But in the end, it didn't matter because finally—_finally_, my story would be finished.

* * *

"Haruka, everything okay?" I turned around and looked at Kakashi, not wearing his mask for once.

"Yeah." He sat down and wrapped an arm around me. "Why?"

"You seem…down."

"I guess you could say that." Turning my head back to the sky, I watched as the clouds moved. "I'm just worried, you know? What happens now that everything's at peace?"

Kakashi pulled his mask down and kissed me on my forehead. "I understand. You're worried because now that there's peace, you're unsure of how being a Shinobi'll fit in with society." He stated the obvious while squeezing my shoulders.

I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. "It's just…unbelievable, you know? Our whole lives, we've been either fighting with each other or against someone else. We've seen two wars, _two_. We faced Madara and Kaguya and we survived, but at a cost. It sure as hell doesn't feel like a blessing to me."

"Haruka, stop overthinking everything—"

"Mom! We're home!"

Kakashi suddenly groaned at hearing our daughter's voice. "Do you think she brought him along?"

"Who, Konohamaru? What do you have against that boy?"

"Everything." He deadpanned. Standing up, he pulled his mask back up before offering a hand to me. "He took my daughter away from me."

I gave him a look of annoyance before sighing. "She's 23 years old Kakashi. Let her date who she wants." I said as we started walking.

"But they're not even _dating_, they're engaged!" Kakashi complained as we opened the door into our house.

"Hey Mom, where's Hiro?" Noka asked from the doorway as she pulled of her jacket.

"Hiroki? He's still out." I walked over to her and pulled her into a hug before turning to the man standing next to her. "Konohamaru, don't be afraid of the idiot standing behind me. He's just being a big baby."

"Um…okay?" Konohamaru just smiled at me, but when he turned to Kakashi he suddenly paled.

"I should give you a whole month of C-Rank missions." The silver-haired idiot muttered under his breath.

"_Dad!_"

"Goddamn it Kakashi, leave the poor boy alone—"

The door suddenly opened revealing Hiroki and Kaminari, holding—or in Kaminari's case, biting carefully—bags full of things I had asked them to get earlier. "Uh…I'm home?"

"Thank Kami." Noka suddenly rushed to where he was and pulled him into the house, ignoring her brother's wolf. "Get rid of dad—"

"I can hear you."

"Or at least distract him—"

"Like I said, I can hear you." Noka suddenly whirled around and glared at Kakashi, quickly shutting him up. It pretty amusing to see the _oh so great Hokage_ look scared of a 23-year-old shinobi.

I've taught her well.

"Why don't you go to the kitchen and…do something." I said to Kakashi as I pushed him in that direction. As soon as he disappeared around the corner—not without muttering about how unfair it was—I turned to Konohamaru, only to see Hiro giving him a dangerous look.

"You know, Konohamaru..." My son narrowed his eyes before smiling wickedly. "If you _ever _break my sister's heart…" Kaminari growled with Hiroki, the wolf's black coat making him look even more threatening. "Let's just say, you won't like what'll happen if you do."

…Damn it, am I the only sane one in this household?

* * *

_**Two years later…**_

* * *

I placed the bouquet of flowers in front of the memorial stone, respecting the names of the dead that were carved onto it.

No matter how many years passed, the fresh pain of loss still ran through my heart when I read the names of my loved ones. Mom, Raijin, Obito, Rin, Sensei…so many people that I had cared about died to protect the village that they loved.

As I brushed my fingers across Raijin's name, I sensed a certain energetic chakra that belonged to a person that everyone knew.

"Haruka-sensei!" Turning around, I couldn't help but smile at the 29-year-old man that was to become the Hokage in the next few days.

"Naruto, what's up?"

The blonde ran up to me before grabbing my hands excitingly. "Come with me to get ramen at Ichiraku's."

I cocked an eyebrow. "What about Hinata? Isn't she waiting for you at home?"

"Nah, she had some sort of Hyuga business so she took the kids with her-ttebayo. Something about wanting them to meet her father."

I scoffed at the mention of the stoic Clan Head. "You mean Hiashi?" I felt my blood boil at the mention of the man. "That man has to shove that godforsaken stick out of his ass and loosen up, live life a little."

Naruto started spluttering, as if he was unsure of how to react to how I just talked about his father in law. "Haruka-sensei…"

I just shrugged. "Oh well." Standing on my toes, I placed my hand on his head and ruffled his hair. "You wanna invite Kakashi too?"

"Isn't he busy-ttebayo?"

I scoffed at the mention of the word 'busy'. "As if. He's rejoicing in the fact that he doesn't have to be Hokage anymore." We started walking away from the Memorial Stone and started to head towards Naruto's favorite ramen stand. "He never really wanted to be the leader. He was always more comfortable getting told what to do instead of the opposite."

"Well, where is he then-ttebayo?"

"Maa Naruto, if you're going to be Hokage shouldn't you pay more attention to your surroundings?" A familiar voice suddenly scolded from behind us.

There just so happened to be a silver-haired man in robes standing behind us, amusement in his eyes. "Scarecrow!" I shouted out happily before moving to stand next to my husband.

"Kakashi-sensei! I just…wasn't paying attention-ttebayo!" Naruto said sheepishly, while rubbing the back of his head.

I kissed Kakashi on his cheek before looping my arm through his. "Well, what are we waiting for? I want some ramen!"

* * *

_**5 years later…**_

* * *

"Mom, are you sure you don't want to bring Kaminari with you?"

I just sighed before rubbing my eyes. "For the last time Hiroki, I'll be fine. This isn't my first mission."

"Well, it's just that these guys…"

I placed my hand on my son's shoulder. "Sasuke's with me for this one—"

"_Mom!_" I looked over Hiroki's shoulder and watched at Noka came running up to us, fear in her eyes. "What the hell are you thinking, taking this mission?!" She shouted out.

"Noka—"

"You're 49 for Kami's sake! You're not young anymore!" Noka grabbed my shoulders and stared at me with eyes so familiar to her father's. "I know you want to get the ones who got Dad, but _still_—"

"Noka, that is enough." I gently grabbed her hands and held them. "I know you're worried that I won't come back, and you know what? There's a high chance of that happening."

"Mom—"

"But you have to realize that this is something I need to do." I smiled before placing my hand on her cheek, not shocked at all to see tears streaming down her face. "I can't just sit here and do nothing, knowing that Kakashi's killer is still out there."

"Mom, promise me this then." I turned to Hiroki.

"What?"

"This is your last A-rank mission." He demanded. I just sighed, knowing that this was coming.

"Hiroki…"

"S-rank, B-rank, whatever rank. You have to promise us that this is your _last _mission."

"…Fine, I promise." My son just nodded his head before engulfing both Noka and I into a hug.

"We love you Mom, so much." Noka whispered in my ear.

Before I pulled away from the two, I placed a kiss on both of their heads. "I love you too."

"Haruka, are you ready?" Giving my kids one last look, I turned toward Sasuke. His own wife and daughter were standing behind him, worry on Sakura's face.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

* * *

"Haruka, _watch out!_" I turned around too late and felt as the enemy-nin stabbed his blade through my chest, a sadistic smile on his face.

"I got you, you _bitch_." He spat out.

Pushing through the white-hot pain pulsing through my body, I grabbed my tanto—formerly Kakashi's—before stabbing him. "No you bastard, I got _you_." I smiled at him, blood dripping down the sides of my mouth. I watched as the disbelief on his face transformed into anger, before that too faded away as he died. Only then did I fall to the ground, the wound in my chest too much to bear. Sasuke was next to me immediately, the enemy he was fighting dead within seconds of beginning the fight.

"Haruka, stay with me—"

I grabbed the Uchiha's hand, stopping him from doing anything. "No…it's fine." I looked up at the ceiling and smiled. "I'm…ready."

"What about Noka and Hiroki? What about Naruto?"

I looked at Sasuke and watched as the red in his eyes faded to his usual black. "They all…have families…they'll survive without me."

"Haruka…"

I just patted his hand, the feeling of satisfaction overpowering the pain. "I killed…him… The man that…killed Kakashi…" My vision blurred as I watched Sasuke who was kneeling next to me, bow his head.

I watched him grow up, go through the hardships that came with being the last Uchiha after Itachi and Obito's defection and massacre of the Uchiha Clan. Whether he knew it or not, I cared for Sasuke as much as I cared for Naruto.

"Tell those two…that I am sorry."

He looked at me, his only hand still holding onto mine. "Are you sure that this is your decision?"

"Yes." The pain slowly faded away, as with my sight and hearing.

And the next thing I knew, it was all dark.

* * *

"-ruka! Haruka!" My eyes slowly opened and I was greeted with the sight of cloudless blue skies as the wind blew comfortably around me. Well, that was until a certain someone's grey eyes stared down at me.

"K-Kakashi?" What was happening? Why was he here? The last thing I remember was dying—

"You're late, stupid. You've been holding up the Team for at least an hour."

Slowly sitting up, I stared at Kakashi before realizing something. He was 13 again…which meant I must have been too.

"_Hey Haruka, hurry up!" _I looked behind him and saw Obito and Rin, standing next to a man with spikey blonde hair, hair that belonged to only Minato-Sensei.

"Come on Haruka, they've all been waiting." I let Kakashi pull me up, but I didn't do anything but stare at him. He wasn't my Kakashi…yet he was. Before he could protest, I threw my arms around him and let out a sob, a sob that contained years' worth of mourning and crying.

"I missed you so much Kakashi." My arms tightened around him and I sobbed into his shirt. But when I pulled away, staring at me wasn't a 13 year old Kakashi. No, it was a 20 year old version of him. I looked down at myself and saw that I was the same age as him now, my body obviously older than my preteen times.

"W-What?" I said out loud, tears still running down my cheeks.

He just placed a hand on my cheek before connecting our foreheads together. "I'm sorry that I left, I never meant for that to happen." I just shook my head before he pulled down his mask to kiss me. It wasn't a long one, because we were suddenly interrupted by a shout of frustration.

"Goddamn it Hatake, how long are you going to keep us waiting?" Obito shouted out again, he too along with Rin looking around the same age as Kakashi and I. I just laughed before turning to Kakashi. I opened my mouth to say something, but a familiar growl from behind me made me froze.

"Hey Pup, what about me?" I whirled around and saw my best friend, my partner, my _wolf_ standing behind me.

"R-Raijin?"

"Who else would it be?" I walked up to me and it didn't take me long to wrap my arms around his neck, the familiar scent of him overwhelming me.

"I can't believe it…"

"Well, don't keep your team watiin' too long. We got a mission after all." He pulled away and gave me a lick on my cheek before running towards Minato-Sensei and the team.

"You ready Haruka?" I turned back around and looked at the hand that Kakashi was extending toward me.

I didn't hesitate for a second. "Yes." Grabbing his hand, I let him lead us to where our old team was as I wiped the tears that continued to fall from my eyes.

I was home.

* * *

**A/N:**_ Phew, this story is now officially OVER! I don't know if you guys even remember this story because it's been like almost two months since I last updated! I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO TAKE THIS LONG. It's just that I was overwhelmed with school and like I said, this story wasn't really calling out to me like before. _

_I hope you guys aren't confused at this ending, but just to make things clear Kakashi died soon after Naruto became Hokage. I have this AU that a group of strong enemy-nin that wanted to be like the Akatsuki went against the Shinobi Forces (that includes Iwa, Suna, Kiri, Konoha, and Kumo) and during one of the earlier fights, Kakashi was killed. Yeah that happened. _

_I just jumped like 20 years compared to the last chapter and you guys can forgive me for that!_

_So, how was this ending? Was it good, bad, horrible, want to burn bad? I hope it wasn't _too_ bad because this was how I actually wanted to end the story since the beginning. I wanted it to be happy but sad, in a way like this ending here._

_Well, In Time is now officially __**over**__. However, this is not the end to my writing journey! I've posted two new stories, one for Assassin's Creed 3 which is an ConnorxOC story and the other is a new Naruto one, and yes, it is another KakashixOC. But I promise you, those two are __**totally**__ better than this story (grammar and English wise that is). So go check out my profile and check those two stories out! It's __**Revolution**__ (the AC story) and __**The Fate of Us**__._

_Other than that guys, all I can really say is thank you guys so much for giving me the privilege to actually write you guys a story. It's had its ups and downs especially since this was my first ever story. But you guys, I wouldn't have even made it past chapter 10 if it weren't for you guys._

_SO thank you so much._

_Please please PLEASE review, because I honestly want to know what your guys' opinion on this chapter and story is._

_So it pains me to say this, thank you for reading my story. This is, the end._

_See you in my next story guys!_


End file.
